Simple programming of fast movements in combination with functional safety is essential for human-robot cooperation. In a project for an innovative cobot manufacturer, TH-Köln, SEW-EURODRIVE and CODESYS have developed a new automation concept for such systems.
At the Nuremberg automation trade fair SPS, SEW-EURODRIVE is presenting a new automation concept for cooperative robotics and other functionally safe kinematics for the first time. From November 23 to 25, 2021, at SEW-EURODRIVE booth 411 in hall 3a, you can find out how an industrial PC with an Intel® Quad CoreTM processor is used as a PLC with a fully integrated safety controller. With two processor cores of this CPU, two-channel safety functions according to EN ISO 13849-1 PL d (Category 3) can be implemented. The Intel processor was certified accordingly by TÜV Süd in early 2021.
The programming and configuration of the non-safe machine control with EtherCAT as system bus is carried out – as usual at SEW-EURODRIVE – with the integrated development environment CODESYS. The now additionally integrated safety control is based on the runtime system CODESYS Safety SIL2, an IEC 61131-3 software for functional safety certified by TÜV Süd, which has proven itself in mobile machines.
Function blocks can also be used to efficiently implement complex safety functions. A special feature of the fully integrated safety control is the extremely high safety-related computing power – more than 20 to 100 times faster than usual – for complex algorithms, trigonometric functions with floating point arithmetic, safety diagnostics, etc. This computing power enables the connected drives to be cost-optimized with significantly reduced safety – Equip logic.
A tripod with three servo axes will be shown as a technology demonstrator at the SPS 2021. Safe 2-wire technology is used in the position encoder. This significantly reduces the cable diameter and the costs of the single-cable motor technology. In addition, the safety-related currents of the drives and optionally also force sensors can be evaluated in the central safety control. The demonstrator thus offers automation solutions that are currently not possible with traditional approaches. The contact person at the fair is Mr. Holger Goergen.