May 2006:
Magsafe - 4 monitored magnetic interlocks on 1 low cost controller.

[Back to Press Release Index]

Smartscan's latest innovation in magnetic safety gate interlocking – Magsafe – now offers the ability to monitor up to 4 magnets from a single low cost control box. This additional option allows us to offer the customer even greater flexibility in their safety gate/access control designs.

Having the facility to fully monitor up to 4 magnetic interlocks makes the Magsafe ideal for the great majority of work cells, typically with 1 or 2 safety gates/doors providing access through the perimeter safety fencing to a dangerous machine. The Magsafe electro-magnetic safety gate interlocks provide interlocking and access control for a wide range of applications in the food & drinks, automotive, buildings materials, paper industries and many others.

Magsafe’s innovative design allows it to be both flexible and user friendly whilst still offering the customer the ideal low cost safety gate interlocking solution.

In addition to this Smartscan has applied its safety light curtain technology background to the safety gate interlocking market by providing a system control unit which continuously monitors the on and off state of the magnets. This ensures the system detects when the gate is open and when it is closed. Only when the gate is closed and the magnetic locking force applied, will the control system allow machine operation.

A typical system comprises of electromagnetic gate locks, controller, local access control unit with ‘traffic light’ entry condition indication and connection cables.

The system features include, Category 4 EN 954-1 safety integrity, selectable run down timers for gate release, no moving parts significantly reducing mechanical wear, holding force up to 500 N per magnet, operation of up to 4 monitored magnetic gate locks from a single controller, easy alignment between magnet and target, dual channel safety relay outputs, safety monitoring (EDM) and E-Stop inputs.