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ISO 138491-1:2016 does not include detailed quantifiable aspects such as error prevention in development and in software. However, further development and adaptation of the standards is necessary in order to take the new requirements of Industry 4.0 into consideration. In all cases, strong knowledge transfer is necessary around the topics of machine safety and Industry 4.0. The Schmersal Group has considered this development with the foundation of its services division:“ tec. nicum” offers machine constructors andoperators not only training and manufacturer-neutral advice, but also programming of the safety software.
With respect to machine safety and Industry 4.0, increased knowledge transfer is required, and this is where tec. nicum, the Schmersal service division, comes in.
The Schmersal Group also considers OPC UA will be the future standard for M2M communication protocols, as it not only transports machine data but also allows a semantic description of the data. Although the exchange of non-safety-related data has largely been successfully standardised in line with the OPC-UA model, there is still a need for standardisation for the transfer of safety-related data via the OPC UA protocol. Schmersal is in favour of a joint approach by all manufacturers in the machine safety sector.
The benefit of primarily software based safety solutions are clear: in the future, all safety-related data can be transferred to a cloud and collected there, for example, technical data from sensors, reaction times, safety-critical
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Video clips and examples at www. spirig. tvFree application attempts failure rates, etc. This allows a higherlevel computer to analyse the current risk based on this data and determine the measures to be taken to reduce this risk. This will allow future safety solutions to be simply adapted to flexible, dynamic production units and machines.
Adapting the standards to Industry 4.0
But all this is still in the future. There are some hurdles to be overcome first. For example, increases in softwarebased safety solutions will lead to another group of personnel, the programmers, having to get to grips with the subject of safety. Many design engineers have already been trained in the current hardware solutions in the safety technology sector. This has led to a reduction in error frequency. Machine manufacturers and users implementing safety-driven software solutions also need to familiarise their IT experts in the safety requirements. Clear standards and regulations are helpful in this respect. The amended DIN EN
Knowledge transfer and use cases
In order to support machine manufacturers and users on the introduction of digital future technologies with automation and safety-driven solution strategies and provide expert advice, Schmersal has set itself the objective of permanently expanding its own expertise. It is especially important for experts in machine safety to be at the cutting edge of technology. In order to achieve the best possible safety solution from an economic perspective, machine safety specialists should be involved as early as the design phase of machine and plant construction. As a member of the ZVEI, the VDMA and the initiatives“ Mechanical Engineering Future Alliance” and LNI4.0 Labs Network Industry 4.0, the Schmersal Group can benefit from information exchange in these interdisciplinary expert and working groups made up of representatives from mechanical engineering, applied research and the supplier industries. The companies in these networks also work together on specific use cases. www. schmersal. in
34 | August-September 2018 | Global MDA Journal