Closer protection
March 7th 2007 A three-dimensional zone camera from Pilz offering improved protection for workers operating in the vicinity of robots and other machinery will soon be available.
SafetyEYE, developed by Pilz in conjunction with DaimlerChrysler, overcomes many of the limitations of traditional hinged and sliding machine guards, which can be time-consuming and laborious to operate and take up valuable floor space.
Although light curtains and laser area scanners can be useful for applications requiring frequent access, they can only monitor a flat plane so that the protected area is often greater than the hazardous zone. The safe camera system, can protect a three-dimensional zone which more closely matches the hazardous zone with obvious space saving advantages.
Each SafetyEYE system comprises a sensing device with three greyscale cameras - to give three-dimensional coverage - and an analysis unit containing high-performance computers and a programmable safety and control system.
The sensor unit is mounted above the application, enabling a zone to be monitored around a hazard. Maximum coverage would be for a three-dimensional envelope that approximates to a pyramid with a base measuring 12.8 x 9.6m and a height of 10m. Up to a height of 5m, the system can detect a person's body within the monitored zone.
If the sensing device is mounted 5m above floor level, giving a monitored area of 6.4 x 4.8m, the system can detect a person's leg. For detection heights between 1.5 and 2.8m, a person's arm can be detected. It is technically feasible to add finger detection, but the initial market requirement is for body, leg and arm detection only.
If a person enters a warning zone, an alarm is sounded and the hazardous machinery is slowed down or stopped, depending on the application requirements; if the detection zone is entered, the machine is immediately brought to a standstill.
SafetyEYE already has concept approval from the German BG health and safety mark and full product approval is due to be in place by April 2007. After that, trial systems will be offered to prospective customers, and production systems are expected to be available in September 2007.
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