The concept of machinery safety had been negatively linked to productivity: improved safety meant less productivity. However, this trend is changing because new safety technologies and standards enable safer machines while improving production rates. Safety is no longer a problem for production.
The revolution of integrated safety within control industrial networks is changing the safety landscape. Ethernet/IP with CIP Safety allows modules with safe I/Os to be integrated into a control network where I/Os, servomotors, frequency converters and safety devices can share the same physical media.
Safety along with its programming logic and cabling were until recently independent from the rest of the machine control. Currently, by means of new technologies, control and safety converge on the same physical media reducing complexity and time to design, develop, and deliver a safety solution.
Another trend showing the advantages of integrated safety is the intelligent safety of servo drives and frequency converters, such as the safe torque-off features included in many of these devices. With machines and processes more and more based in motion systems, the availability of intelligent safety in these devices helps to create a safer machine with a high production capacity.
This kind of integrated safety in control networks such as Ethernet/IP is not only reserved for larger facilities with lots of safety I/Os. Other machinery of smaller sizes, which have been traditionally using safety relays and safety independent PLCs, are going to gradually integrate these solutions due to their higher performance and increasing affordability.
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