LAPP elevates machine safety with Wieland Electric safety controllers

In machine and plant engineering, safety is paramount. According to Safe Work Australia, “over the past ten years (to 2023), there have been more than 1,850 traumatic injury fatalities in Australian workplaces, and over 1,140,000 workers have made a serious workers’ compensation claim involving more than one week of working time lost.”

And while 42% of these incidents relate to vehicle accidents, a large portion of the remainder can be attributed to electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical machinery.

To make industrial plant safety even simpler and more intuitive, LAPP Australia is introducing the Wieland Electric range of safety controllers.

As authorised distributors, LAPP Australia has local stock of the Wieland Electric range of safety controllers, including the samos PRO COMPACT, a compact, modular, and programmable safety controller for machine and plant engineering.

“Wieland is known for its leadership in safety products, where it has built up a global pedigree for reliability and performance. The safety controllers range is simple and intuitive with fast programming, verification, and validation,” said Uthaya Sivanathan, Technical Solutions Manager for LAPP Australia’s Industrial automation, IT, and Networking division.

LAPP Australia is part of the global LAPP family, which specialises in cable and connection technology. The local subsidiary has now added an industrial IT and networking division to further enhance its offering to companies looking for a one-stop-shop for automation and connection solutions.

Modular system for customised safety solutions

The samos PRO can implement safety functions efficiently and in a customised manner, due to its modular system structure. With pluggable expansion modules, the safety controller is also suitable for large systems.

“The flexibility of the system means the samos PRO safety controller can be used in the widest possible range of industrial applications, and can easily be adapted as business needs change in the future,” said Sivanathan.

The samos PRO features a main module with integrated industrial Ethernet protocols, a compact housing, and 16 safe inputs and four safe outputs. The samos PRO can then adapt effortlessly via:

• Digital modules that are expandable with up to 12 digital I/O modules, up to 116 safe inputs, and up to 56 safe outputs.
• Analog modules that can monitor force, temperature, pressure, flow, distance, inclination, and flow rates. Up to 48 analog sensors can be connected in 2/3/4-wire technology, with easy programming of limits, ranges, rations, and difference, with application-specific, TÜV-certified function blocks.
• Gateway modules that can support CANopen, Profibus and EtherCAT connections via external gateways, including parallel use of up to two external and one internal gateway. This also enables the possibility of remote diagnosis.
   

“Having a highly customisable setup with modular adaptation options means users only pay for what they need, saving both time and resources, without compromising on safety standards,” said Sivanathan.

Software-programmable safety controllers

Safety functions are parameterised in compliance with standards via the intuitive and license-free samos PLAN 6 software. The focus is on user-friendly, standards-compliant implementation and simple integration into higher-level systems. For this purpose, the controller offers integrated Ethernet protocols and interfaces.

Features of the safety control system include:

• License-free, intuitive safety software samos PLAN 6
• Communication protocols Profinet, EtherNet/IP and Modbus TCP integrated in the base module
• Compact Basismodul (German basic model) with up to 20 inputs and outputs including terminals
• Optimal scalability with versatile digital and analog expansion modules as well as gateways for all common industrial fieldbuses
• Operating temperature range from -25°C to +65°C

Safety software

The samos PLAN 6 safety software, which is provided free on the Wieland website, is intuitive and flexible, and comes complete with a pre-loaded library of TÜV-certified safety function blocks, system validation and verification, and documentation.

“The safety software takes the guesswork out of machine safety, and allows for error-free commissioning through integrated simulation and logic analysis,” said Sivanathan. “Additionally, it’s fast to set up, and can provide configurable project documentation with one-click reports. For anyone responsible for machine or plant safety, it provides simple, effective, and proven solutions.”

The samos PRO safety controller is also certified to a range of internationally recognised safety standards, including IEC 60204-1/IEC 62061/EN 13849-1: Safety of machinery, EN 692: Mechanical presses and EN 693: Hydraulic presses.

Service backing

The Wieland Electric safety controllers will be fully backed in the field by LAPP Australia’s local operations.

“In addition to local stock, the advantage of local support is that our experts can recommend the optimal solution to achieve the best results, help with installation recommendations, and then continue to assist with maintenance and troubleshooting along the way,” said Sivanathan. “Our Industrial IT and Networking Division takes a consultative approach, because these types of systems often have complex requirements, and no two projects are alike.”

For more information go to: https://lappaustralia.com.au/en/safety-controllers-2.