Engineers designing machinery safety systems can collaborate across multiple languages using the Safety Automation Builder software tool from Rockwell Automation. The software, designed to help engineers save time when designing safety systems, has been downloaded more than 15,000 times since its launch in February 2013. It was named one of the top 10 most innovative products at last year's SPS Drives show in Germany.
The Safety Automation Builder software tool automates the safety-selection process. Users import an image of the machinery they need to safeguard and answer questions using a drop-down menu and help screens to identify and select the necessary safeguards. The software then compiles all product selections, generates a bill of materials and compiles necessary data to populate IFA’s SISTEMA (Safety Integrity Software Tool for Evaluation of Machine Applications). SISTEMA helps evaluate the system in accordance with ISO 13849-1:2008.
The software, which is available as a free download from the Rockwell Automation website, requires that users download and run SISTEMA. SISTEMA is available in a limited number of languages, so the Safety Automation Builder tool’s expanded language functionality allows engineers to generate SISTEMA reports outside of their local language. The new languages include Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish and Swedish.
The company has also added new safety functions, which are pre-engineered design documents containing detailed information for many safeguarding methods, including specific functionality, performance level data and required input, logic and output components. These documents also include parts lists, electrical drawings, a SISTEMA project file and verification and validation plans. After completing the Safety Automation Builder process, users can select the appropriate safety function needed for a particular machine and combine it with the bill of materials to design a complete safety system.
For more information, visit: www.rockwellautomation.com
