Fieldbus Safety Control with Decentralized Actuator Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Safety-directed control systems face inflexibility and high wiring efforts due to hard-wired safety relays, and complex programming requirements with traditional fieldbus-based solutions, making it difficult to configure and execute safety functions efficiently and safely.
Innovation Solution
A safety-directed control system using a fieldbus to connect safety sensors and actuators, with a programming device that allows users to associate safety responses with safety lines, enabling direct execution of safety responses by the actuator units without a central control unit, reducing bandwidth and programming complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard-wired safety relays are used to link safety sensors and actuators, then safety functions can be executed reliably, but wiring effort increases and system flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical hard-wired safety relay system with a fieldbus-based communication system. Safety sensors and actuators are linked through digital communication protocols instead of physical wiring, eliminating the need for safety relays and significantly reducing wiring complexity while maintaining safety function reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The fieldbus system acts as an intermediary between safety sensors and actuators, providing a standardized communication interface that replaces direct physical connections. This intermediary layer enables flexible configuration and reduces wiring effort while ensuring reliable safety function execution through protocol-based communication
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional fieldbus-based solutions with central safety control are used, then system integration is achieved, but programming complexity and validation effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the safety control functionality by enabling decentralized execution of safety responses in actuator units. Each actuator unit can independently execute safety responses based on received fieldbus signals, eliminating the need for complex centralized safety control programming and validation while maintaining system integration
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator units are equipped with self-service capabilities to execute safety responses autonomously upon receiving fieldbus signals. This self-execution mechanism eliminates the need for complex external programming and validation of safety logic, reducing programming complexity while maintaining system integration through the fieldbus communication
3Ease of operation
If dedicated safety controls with logical links are used, then safety functions can be controlled centrally, but programming and validation become complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator units perform self-service by autonomously executing safety responses when receiving appropriate fieldbus signals from safety sensors. This eliminates the need for dedicated safety controls with complex logical links, reducing programming and validation effort while maintaining ease of operation through direct signal-based control
Data Source
AI summary
A safety-directed control system comprises at least one safety sensor unit and at least one safety actuator unit, which are connected to one another via a fieldbus, and a programming device. Sensor connections for connecting safety sensors to the fieldbus are provided by the at least one safety sensor unit, the sensor connections being associated with safety lines. The programming device displays the available safety lines to a user via an output interface and receives a user input via an input interface, with the user input associating a selected safety response, which is executable by the safety actuator unit, with at least one selected safety line. The programming device further stores the association between the selected safety line and the selected safety response in the safety actuator unit as a safety configuration.