Rockwell controllers scale to specific machine safety requirements

Apr. 17, 2018 – Rockwell Automation says its new controllers are designed to help engineers simplify their machine safety systems and improve safety performance.

The Allen-Bradley GuardLogix 5580 and Compact GuardLogix 5380 controllers can be scaled from safety system levels SIL 2/PLd to SIL 3/PLe. This scalability, Rockwell says, can help engineers optimize a safety system design and potentially reduce its costs, adding that the controllers also use increased processing power to achieve faster reaction times and shorter safe distances. The new controllers can also help engineers consolidate the number of controllers they use in complex machines. Rockwell explains that having a single controller for both standard and safety control can help improve productivity and reduce the system’s cost, complexity and cabinet size. The GuardLogix 5580 and Compact GuardLogix 5380 controllers are TÜV certified for functional safety.