Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
insight
Expert interview
UL-certification the
passport to America
Page 22
2003
www.sick.com
2
SICKs customer magazine
The ARS 60 absolute encoder
Visualisation allows
lifting cog control
Page 15
Show your code
ICR 850: Data matrix identification
Show your code
ICR 850: Data matrix identification
Page 17
Cock of the Walk
Sensors from SICK
Addressing future challenges within the PCB industry.
And succeeding! Adopting SICK Sensor Technology leads
to higher efficiency of manufacturing and quality control
procedures. SICK is a total systems provider, a world
leader in innovation and has acquired a reputation for
reliability, long-term know-how and customer support
worldwide.
For further information visit
www.sick.com
Industrial Safety Systems Auto Ident
M
,
R
&
H
F
r
e
i
b
u
r
g
SICK AG Sebastian-Kneipp-Str. 1 79183 Waldkirch Germany Phone +49 7681 202-0 Fax +49 7681 202-3609
Industrial Sensors
03 Editorial
insightTELEGRAM
++SICK raises its 25% participation in Swe-
dens IVP Integrated Vision Products AB to
92% - IVP solves special applications in elec-
tronics, the timber industry and robotics with
camera-based products for multi-dimensional
sensorics www.ivp.se++
++The Association of German Engineers (VDI)
offers progress reports on the Internet the
results of top-class scientific engineering re-
search at universities, colleges, major
research establishments and in industry can
be called up with the help of a rapid database
search online orders possible at
www.vdi-nachrichten.com/buchshop++
++5th Group-wide employee share programme
enjoys high participation in 2003 too: almost
1,000 employees in Germany and abroad
bought shares in SICK AG (not listed on the
stock exchange) employees now hold about
4% of SICK shares++
Sweden a highly automated nation
What do Volvo, IKEA, Ericsson, Electrolux, Tetra Pak, Atlas Copco, SKF and STORA
have in common? They are all well-known brands of Swedish origin. Sweden was
at peace throughout the 20th century, giving the country a great advantage. We
were able to create a strong industrial foundation based on the supply of raw and
processed materials such as steel, iron ore, timber and paper. Swedish quality be-
came a catch-phrase.
During the seventies great industrial nations, such as Germany and England,
caught up with Sweden. Despite high costs (primarily work-force related) Swedish
enterprises have remained internationally competitive. This is due to the increas-
ing automation of production processes.
A further important reason for Swedish competitiveness is the countrys heavy de-
pendence on exports. This makes the country sensitive to international needs and
expectations. The export trade generates almost 50% of GNP, and half of all ex-
ports are engineering products. The most important export markets are Germany,
the USA, Norway and the United Kingdom.
The third factor behind Swedens success is the highly trained industrial workforce
and the high level of Swedish engineering, resembling Germany in many ways. As
a Swede employed at SICK one therefore feels very much at ease.
The SICK Group has developed fantastically during the ten years that I have been
managing the Swedish subsidiary. SICK has found a successful concept based on
the development of innovative products and the training of personnel. Moreover,
the SICK Group has made many successful acquisitions, both for specific areas of
business and for the entire Group.
Reason enough for the SICK Group and SICK Sweden to be optimistic about the
future. Find out more on Page 39.
I hope you enjoy reading this autumn issue of SICK insight.
Best wishes
Stig-Olof Bistrm
Managing Director SICK Sweden
UL the passport to America......... 22
Ex-protection: what changes
has ATEX caused? ......................... 24
Hydraulic press standard EN 693... 25
SinCos
horizontal binder
only needs a few seconds to fully auto-
matically tie a pallet up. This speed,
and the binding power involved, pose a
risk of serious injury for persons reach-
ing into the plant during running opera-
tion. At the same time, many users
(e.g. in bottle filling) depend on auto-
matic and continuous plant processes.
In order to be able to safeguard a
horizontal binder and simultaneously
integrate it into a stationary conveyor
system it is necessary to set up ac-
cess safeguarding with a muting func-
tion at both the pallet entrance and ex-
it. An SMS Safety Muting System was
used on a plant from Peter Born AG de-
livered to a Belgrade brewery by a fill-
ing machine manufacturer.
Plug & play muting
The SMS mounting components allow
rapid installation and flexible muting.
The Safety Category 2 or 4 optoelec-
tronic muting sensors, and the muting
SICK insight 2/2003
Gear wheel inspection with ICS 100 camera sensor at Magna Steyr, Austria 13 Applications
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 211
A detailed report on this application
is available at:
www.sick.at/news/magna
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customer at:
www.magnasteyr.com
Quality inspection at Magna Steyr
The ICS 100 gears up
for reliable running
Magna Steyr, the Austrian supplier to the automotive industry, us-
es the ICS 100 camera sensor to inspect the surfaces and true
running of the gear wheels for dynamic balancing differential
gears.
>> Magna Steyr, which has long been
known for its successful developments
in 4-wheel drive technology, produces
numerous drive components at its new
works at Ilz in the Steiermark, where
440 dynamic balancing differential
gears are produced every day for
BMWs 3-series. These reduce the vi-
brations of petrol and diesel engines,
thus cutting engine noise leading to
savings in shell stiffening and sound-
proofing, and allowing the use of plas-
tic components on the engine.
The right finish and the right
decision
A principal component of the dynamic
balancing system is the gear shaft, on
which there are several gear wheels.
After an initial visual inspection by the
line foreman, the wheels undergo a
more precise examination of the sur-
face finish and shape in order to en-
sure reliable cyclic running. This guar-
antees that only polished, true-running
gear wheels are included in the nine-
stage assembly process.
Excellent cost/benefit
ratio confirmed
While looking for an automatic quality
inspection system we struck lucky with
the ICS 100, explains Markus Ackerl,
Programming Manager at Magna
Systemtechnik AG, the manufacturer of
the production line. A conventional im-
age processing system would have ex-
ceeded our budget. This 2-D solution
combines the advantages of a powerful
image processor with industry-oriented
sensorics. Thus we could fulfil all the
technical requirements economically
with the ICS 100.
The camera sensor inspects the surfaces and rotation of gear wheels
Gearing up for a tooth inspection ...
with the ICS 100 camera sensor
SICK insight 2/2003
Identification and volume measurement of post bags and packages at Dubai Airport 14 Applications
>> The Omniportal Scanners are used
for identifying both in-coming and out-
going post. Six scanners with real-time
autofocus are integrated into each sys-
tem, and reliably identify the bar-code
labels on the post bags and parcels in
any alignment and at any distance.
The Volume Measurement Systems
are only used for outgoing post.
Rapidly productive,
as planned early
The solution was implemented in col-
laboration with ALS Advanced Logistic
Systems GmbH in Wiesbaden (the gen-
eral contractor for the project), Geb-
hardt Frdertechnik AG, Sinsheim
(who supplied the conveyor systems)
and Aberle Steuerungstechnik GmbH,
Leingarten (for the control system).
The properties of the conveyor tech-
nology and the control inter faces were
agreed between the project partners
and SICK during an early phase of the
project. The plant was then pre-accept-
ed by the user in Germany. Both these
factors made it possible to hand over
an operational plant on-site after just
two days and to carr y out operator
training. Even the subsequent request
by the customer to expand the inter-
faces for further information from the
VMS could be met during commission-
ing.
Availability ensured by
remote access
This all contributed towards the cus-
tomer immediately trusting the sys-
tem. The scanner systems easy han-
dling and diagnostic software ensure
that this remains the case. Moreover,
if there is a problem, remote access to
the entire plant via ISDN can rapidly
find the cause of the trouble and
restart operation of the system.
Dubai Airport opts for SICK scanners
OPS 490 Omniportal Scanner systems and VMS 200 Volume Mea-
surement Systems in the Express and Mail Centre at Dubai Air-
port identify post bags and parcels and determine their volumes,
thus achieving error-free allocation of post to the correct flight,
automatic cargo space optimisation, and the determination of
freight charges.
The Burj Al Arab Hotel Dubais world-famous landmark
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 212
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customers at:
www.a-s.de and www.advanced-logistic.de
or www.gebhardt-foerdertechnik.de
OPS 490 Omniportal Scanner systems
now in use in Dubai
N
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Safety assured despite
aggressive media
IP 67 light
grid resists
disinfectants
>> At the washing plant for production
equipment at a French chemical com-
pany, an IP 67 housing with an inte-
grated C 2000 light grid ensures safe
loading and removal of the parts to be
disinfected.
Certain production equipment must
be disinfected with aggressive deter-
gents every two days. For this purpose,
the parts are manually inserted into a
washing plant and subsequently re-
moved again. The opening for loading
and unloading poses a risk for persons
who reach into the plant during running
washing operation. Integrating the
C 2000 within the IP 67 housing was
the solution that avoided all the opera-
tional disadvantages of a protective
fence and offered a long device life-
time. The special housing an acrylic
tube with stainless steel end caps,
pressure equalisation membrane, and
watertight PG thread connections
protects the light grid from the aggres-
sive media and ensures continuous op-
erational safety: any unintentional
reaching into the washing plant reliably
leads to an immediate stop of the
washing process.
INFO 214
SICK insight 2/2003
Encoders in trip cams at Laudenberg Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH Washing plant 15 Applications
>> A further advantage: positional val-
ues can be stored according to the re-
quirements of the individual products
and subsequently activated automati-
cally. Unlike previous processes, for ex-
ample with prefabricated trip cams
from other producers, the ARS 60 also
brings about savings by reducing wiring
and machine operator training costs.
Furthermore, troubleshooting is quick-
er if there are any problems.
ARS 60: almost any increment
numbers can be programmed
The ARS 60 is an absolute encoder for
path and angle determination. The de-
vice has a modular design and permits
adaptation to the most varied of tasks.
For example, any increment number be-
tween 2 and 32,768 can be achieved.
Zero pulse definition on the encoder is
particularly advantageous for Lauden-
berg: it can be carried out either by
pressing a button on the device itself
or directly via a control wire by the ma-
chine control system and visualisation,
as is the case with the packaging ma-
chines.
ARS 60 encoders ensure the right ad-
justment of trip cams
More advantages, lower costs with
the ARS 60 absolute encoder
Visualisation allows
lifting cog control
At Laudenberg Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH in Wipperfrth,
Germany, ARS 60 encoders allow the adjustment of lifting cogs
(trip cams) on the basis of their visualisation.
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 213
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customer at:
www.laudenberg.de
SICK insight 2/2003
Bus technology at packaging producer Kappa Frenade Well, Sweden 16 Applications
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 215
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customer at:
www.kappapackaging.com
Alf-Henrik Petersson of Kappa Frenade Well (left) and Joakim Olofsson of
SICK Sweden (right)
Some of the products in the
AS-i programme
A bus for 248 passengers
In many places, AS-i is the right wiring
technology at the lowest field level of
decentralised control concepts. In-
stead of costly parallel wiring, a large
number of highly varied sensors and
actuators can be connected together
simply, rapidly and economically. Inte-
gration of the AS-i bus in a higher-rank-
ing control system, e.g. a PLC or a
computer, can be achieved without any
problem. Up to 31 slaves can be con-
nected to the two-wire cable, whereby
up to four binar y participants can be
connected to each slave. A total of up
to 248 sensors can thus be supplied
by one bus. These advantages as
well as the possibility of connecting
older components via an external AS-i
module come in ver y handy (and not
just for KFW).
Rapid plant
modernisation with AS-i
Laying cable takes time. AS-i, the actuator-sensor interface, re-
duces this time significantly. At Swedish packaging producer
Kappa Frenade Well (KFW), this bus technology allowed a han-
dling station to be modernised in a single weekend.
>> Instead of individually rewiring each
of the numerous sensors and actua-
tors, SICK sales engineer Joakim
Olofsson recommended the AS-i solu-
tion to KFWs Alf-Henrik Petersson.
And he was thoroughly enthusiastic.
We not only considerably reduced the
entire wiring costs, but were also able
to accelerate its laying down on site. In
the end, only the AS-i cable had to be
led to the new control panel and con-
nected up, says Alf-Henrik Petersson.
SICK insight 2/2003
Circuit board identification with ICR 850 2-D code readers at IPTE Germany GmbH 17 Applications
>> The ICR 850 units are installed on
the feed belt of a multiple panel punch-
er, where many individual small circuit
boards are cut out from the large panel
holding them. By reading the data ma-
trix codes on the multiple panels, IPTE
ensures that the right printed circuit is
lying on the conveyor belt, that the grip-
per in the machine matches the printed
circuit, and that the correct processing
program is active. If a circuit board is
detected that was found to be defec-
tive during an earlier testing process, it
is recognised on the basis of its data
matrix and diverted off the belt.
Industry-oriented connection
module
The compact CDB 420 module was de-
veloped for the connection of station-
ary bar-code scanners and 2-D code-
reading devices from SICK to the SICK
CAN-scanner network, a host computer
Data matrix identification on circuit boards
The ICR 850: multiple benefits
for multiple printed panels
Machine manufacturer IPTE Germany GmbH from Frth detects
alternately arranged data matrix codes on circuit boards in mo-
tion with two ICR 850 devices. The reading devices are connect-
ed to the machine control system via the CDB 420 connection
module. This solutions advantages: time savings and the identi-
fication of mixed 1-D and 2-D codes.
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 216
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customer at:
www.ipte.com
ICR 850 2-D code readers inspect circuit boards
Show your code:
data matrix identification
and a PLC unit. It is not only half the
size of the former version, but also of-
fers features such as PG screw con-
nections with strain relief, IP 65 with
standard scanner cable, a transparent
lid that provides a view of the LED indi-
cators and switch settings beneath it,
mountability in a closed state, and
plug-in connection to the scanners
service interface, among other impor-
tant installation and operational advan-
tages.
SICK insight 2/2003
Position monitoring of container transport with DS 60 distance sensor 18 Applications
Automatic container pick-up
Completely detached?
During automatic hoisting by a crane, DS 60 distance sensors
check that the container can be lifted off the truck without any
difficulties.
>> The DS 60 is a compact robust
sensor that detects the presence
and distance of objects by measuring
the time-of-flight of emitted laser
impulses. It of fers ranges of up to
20 m, is largely immune to ambient
light, and operates reliably regard-
less of the colour or sur face proper-
ties of, for example, a container or a
trucks trailer.
Only the container should
be hoisted
During automatic hoisting by a crane,
two DS 60 units ensure that the con-
tainer gets free of its anchoring on
the trailer without any problems. The
crane is stopped if the distance sen-
sor detects the trailer while the con-
tainer is being hoisted.
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 217
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
Starting point: anchoring
the container on a truck:
Uncoupling the container
WITHOUT the DS 60 distance sensor:
Uncoupling the container WITH the DS
60 distance sensor:
SICK sensors for ports
In addition to the DS 60, other SICK sensors are used at
numerous international ports and container ports:
p Encoders for drive control and the positioning of rail-borne vehicles
p Photoelectric switches and inductive sensors for a wide variety
of object detection tasks
p Safety photoelectric switches to safeguard access to lashing platforms
p DMT distance measurement scanners and LMS Laser Measurement
Systems for preventing collisions between vehicles and for container
classification, the detection of piled container heights, and crane
positioning at the storage spaces
p DML distance measurement photoelectric switches and Pomux absolute
length measurement systems for positioning a crane along its drive path,
and positioning its gripper equipment.
SICK insight 2/2003
Safeguarding hazardous areas with L 4000 non-contact safety devices 19 Applications
Safe manual loading
Robot stops when sliding door opens
Honegger & Partner GmbH, from Pfffikon in Switzerland, have
created an individual light grid to detect a robot arm with L 4000
single-beam safety photoelectric switch systems at end-user
Eralmetall GmbH & Co. KG.
>> The L 4000 system is a Type 4
non-contact safety device according
to IEC 61 496. It is used to safe-
guard access and the hazardous ar-
eas of machines and plant. A UE 401
safety evaluation device monitors
reliable functioning of the sensors
during operation. The sensors op-
tics and signal pre-processing units
are accommodated in cylindrical
housings with diameters of M18
and M30, ensuring simple installa-
tion and alignment of the transmit-
ter and receiver. This is an impor-
tant advantage for its use at
Eralmetall.
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 218
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customers at:
www.honegger-partner.ch
and:
www.eralmetall.de
The robot arm feeds aluminium die-cast parts to the processing stations but only
when the sliding door is closed
Manual loading and automated
removal pose risk of accidents
At the southern German company Eral-
metall, aluminium die cast parts are
produced and processed for the auto-
mobile industr y. Before automatic pro-
cessing in a sawing and deburring sta-
tion, they are manually inserted into a
loading bay and removed from there by
a robot for subsequent transport to
the processing stations. A total of four
L 4000 sensor pairs ensure that the
robot arm can only reach into the bay
when the protective sliding door of the
loading bay is closed. Compared with a
proper light grid, the use of the four
sensor pairs has the advantage that
the beam separations and alignments
could be individually designed for the
particular safeguarding task. A power-
down signal is generated if the light
beam of one of the four L 4000 sensor
pairs is interrupted.
L 4000 maximum safety and
user-friendliness
The new L 4000 system not only offers
safety in the highest possible catego-
r y, but also user-friendliness and sup-
plementar y integrated functions such
as external relay monitoring and
restart interlock. Colour LEDs provide
in-situ information on the operating
state. Rapid diagnosis is possible
through visualisation of status and er-
ror messages on the 7-segment dis-
play of the UE 401 safety evaluation
device.
Reliable identification of
heavy objects
Special scanner
mounting prevents
shaky bar codes
>> Thanks to shock absorber mount-
ings, CLV 450 bar-code scanners al-
ways have a crystal-clear picture of
the bar codes on rolls of paper in the
paper warehouse of Neusiedler AG in
Ulmerfeld-Hausmening, in Austria.
The handling and transport of ob-
jects that are weighed in tons, e.g. rolls
of paper, often involves heavy vibra-
tions on fork-lift trucks. At the same
time, however, increasing numbers of
vehicles are equipped with fixed bar-
code scanners to relieve drivers from
having to use hand-held readers for
scanning, and to permit ergonomic
work processes.
Special mounting absorbs im-
pacts and vibrations
It has proved possible to absorb im-
pacts and vibrations with a specially
developed oscillation damper. This is
advantageous for reading reliability and
the scanners lifetime. A total of six
fork-lift vehicles have been equipped in
this way at Neusiedler. The paper roll is
automatically identified on lifting. As
there are now no more shaky bar
codes, clear read information is, in
effect, available from the first scan and
is then transferred to the control level
via radio data transmission online.
www.neusiedler.com INFO 219
N
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SICK insight 2/2003
Paper store Conveyor system control with UM 30 ultrasonic sensors 20 Applications
Fork-lift vehicle transports paper roll
SICK ultrasonic sensors
control the automatic
filling of silos
Ackerbau GbR Falkenhain has automated the pouring process in
grain stores. SICK ultrasonic sensors control the conveyor sys-
tem in such a way that an even distribution and filling height is
achieved in the silos.
>> Dust, heat, stuffy air ultrasonic
sensors now work where in the past an
employee with a breathing apparatus
had to control the conveyor manually.
The solution was realised by Kppchen
Elektro GmbH in Wurzen, Germany.
While one device on a transverse con-
veyor intermittently determines the fill-
ing height in the silo, four other sen-
sors on a longitudinal conveyor control
the transverse conveyor appropriately
during automatic pouring. Special ad-
justment and alignment prevent detec-
tion of the transverse bracings in the
storage silo itself.
SICK ultrasonic sensors with
five ranges
The UM 30 series offers ultrasound
sensors with five different ranges up to
6,000 mm. Each version is available
with one or two binary outputs and an
analogue output for continuous detec-
tion tasks.
Good for personnel
and process
The ultrasonic sensors offer advan-
tages for the personnel and the
process. There is no longer any need
for an operator for monitoring and man-
ual control under these extremely diffi-
cult conditions, and the grain is opti-
mally stored for staying dry across its
entire surface area thanks to the even
quantity distribution.
Mounting an ultrasonic sensor on the
conveyor system in a grain store
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 220
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
SICK insight 2/2003
Safety technology at DaimlerChryslers welding plants in Sindelfingen 21 Applications
The C 4000 Safety Light Curtain safeguards with mobile blanking
>> Spot welding of car bodies is car-
ried out manually at a processing sta-
tion in the shell construction area. Em-
ployees use welding guns that are pow-
ered via a sheathed flexible cable. Up
to now, this has compromised safe-
guarding of the workplace and handling
of the welding guns. Reliable blanking
within the monitored field of a light
screen was hitherto impossible. Thus
the guns were always hung up further
away from the car body, behind the op-
erators.
Mobile blanking provides the
solution
An ergonomic and time-saving solution
has been achieved with the mobile
blanking function of the C 4000 Safety
Light Curtain. Regardless of how the
guns sheathed cable juts into the
monitored field the area is always reli-
ably cut out, without impairing the mon-
itoring function. Now the welding guns
are ready for action near the car body
instead of behind the operators, mak-
ing the work process considerably
more comfortable and efficient. Mobile
blanking with object detection also en-
sures that resolution is not unneces-
sarily larger, as the plant is kept shut-
down if the sheathed cable is not in the
protective field. So there are no unnec-
essary gaps in the field.
Only its own sheathed cable
is monitored thanks to beam
coding
All manual welding stations in this
plant area are now equipped with the
new safety solution. The unique beam
coding of the individual C 4000 units
prevents systems at different stations
from mutually interfering with one an-
other. Thus each light screen only has
eyes for its own sheathed cable.
insightLINK
You can obtain further information with
the attached card under:
INFO 221
or on the Internet at:
www.sick.de/insight/en
More about the customer at:
www.daimlerchrysler.com
Clever sheathed cable
solution with C 4000
Its showdown time at DaimlerChryslers welding plant in
Sindelfingen, Germany: thanks to new safety technology, workers
can now draw their welding guns quicker and win the duel against
machine cycles.
SICK insight 2/2003
Interview with the testing organisation UL International Germany GmbH 22 Standards
UL the passport to America
SICK insight: Can you tell us some-
thing about the history of Underwriters
Laboratories?
Mirko Bautz: Underwriters Laborato-
ries, the insurance companies' testing
labs, were founded in 1894. The back-
ground was the demand by American
fire insurers to inspect electrically pow-
ered devices for their fire risk, as elec-
tricity was becoming more widespread.
The first UL standard was agreed in
1903. UL gained its first German cus-
tomers, for whom factory inspections
were carried out, in 1954. UL Deutsch-
land (founded in late 1999) currently
employs about 85 staff in Neu-Isen-
burg and Munich and completed about
1,500 projects in 2002. And UL is now
one of the world's leading organisa-
tions for testing and certifying product
safety.
SICK insight: How do you check that
fire prevention regulations are ob-
served? Who awards the labels?
Mirko Bautz: Electrical devices were,
and still are, inspected with regard to
electrical and mechanical hazards as
well as the risk of fire. Fire prevention
tests for sensors, for example, depend
on the housing material. Metal is safe,
but the use of plastic as a basic com-
ponent, or in the form of a finished
product, must be tested. Incidentally,
in this regard UL 94 has become es-
tablished as a standard in Europe.
Those who take it into account during
development can sometimes save
themselves a lot of expense later. On
the subject of development: I would al-
so like to mention that UL offers sup-
port, if desired, from the first draft to
the prototype, and right up to the pur-
chase of the product, by awarding the
U
L
or U test symbol.
SICK insight: What is the difference
between the U
L
and the U symbols?
Dirk R. F. Mller: U
L
(the L stands for
listed) labels devices with individual
certification without restrictions on
their use when employed for their in-
tended purpose. Household devices or
computer equipment are classic exam-
ples. U (the mirror image of the R
stands for recognised) confirms the
testing of products or components that
will later be used in UL-certified end-
products, machines or plant. Examples
of these include switches or plastic
frames. The use of U devices, howev-
er, is always restricted as specified in
the certification documentation. Final-
ly, there is also a grey area of devices
for which decisions must be made on a
case-by-case basis on whether a U
L
or
U label can be awarded. Thus a relay
is not simply a relay: a terminal relay
From left to right: Davorin Jaksic of SICK, Dirk R. F. Mller and Mirko Bautz of UL Deutschland in Neu-Isenburg
International companies rely on national approvals when selling
their products, and those wishing to export to North America can-
not get around UL certification. During an interview with Mirko
Bautz and engineer Dirk R. F. Mller of UL Deutschland, SICK in-
sight found out what is behind the Underwriters Laboratories test-
ing organisation, what the difference is between the U
L
listing
symbol and the U recognition symbol, and why companies should
collaborate with UL Deutschland.
R
R
R
R
R
R
SICK insight 2/2003
23 Standards
insightLINK
See UL on the Internet at:
www.ul-europe.com
or at:
www.ul.com
Mirko Bautz
as a finished product for use by an end-
user receives the U
L
label; while a print
relay that can only be used as a com-
ponent, e.g. for a control system, re-
ceives the U test label.
SICK insight: How can one ensure that
not just the test-piece but all the later
serial devices correspond to U
L
or U ?
Dirk R. F. Mller: This is guaranteed by
works inspections. These take place
every three months, are unannounced,
and check whether the general condi-
tions concerning certification are being
maintained.
SICK insight: Is UL legally required if
one wants to export to the USA?
Mirko Bautz: First let me say that basi-
cally there is no law in the USA enforc-
ing any UL certification. Anyone want-
ing to export to the USA must conform
to the currently valid version of the NEC
(National Electrical Code), which repre-
sents the minimum requirement. This
is where the problems can start, how-
ever, because on the one hand, there
is a gradient regarding how up-to-date
the currently valid version is in the vari-
ous federal states. On the other hand,
there are individual supplements in var-
ious states that are connected with, for
example, the state's geographical loca-
tion and its special climatic demands,
and which can thus increase the re-
quirements of the NEC. Take the case
of, say, the major seasonal tempera-
ture fluctuations in the mid-west, or the
hurricane threat in Florida. In these sit-
uations, certification by the Underwrit-
ers Laboratories becomes interesting
as it prevents importers in the USA or
producers in Europe running any risk of
failing to be accepted by the authori-
ties. Thus the slogan: UL the pass-
port to America. By the way, this ap-
plies for Canada too, where UL is also
accredited and accepted.
SICK insight: What other benefits does
UL offer?
Dirk R. F. Mller: UL also offers bene-
fits for the practical things in life. This
starts with the customers in Germany
and the users in the USA, for whom the
UL test symbol is synonymous with
simplified acceptance by the authori-
ties. The next aspect is the insurance
premium. Those with the UL label pay
considerably lower premiums. Further-
more, UL is also a marketing argu-
ment, as the regular factory inspec-
tions represent independent evidence
of quality. Finally, UL not only awards
its own test symbols, but also nu-
merous other international standard
symbols. This then goes hand-in-hand
with the UL inspection, saving time.
SICK insight: And what particular ad-
vantages are there if the customer col-
laborates with UL Deutschland instead
of the American parent company?
Dirk R. F. Mller: Here, too, daily prac-
tice counts. Whether the certification
engineer who inspects the product for
the UL standards, or the reviewing en-
gineer who counterchecks this inspec-
tion according to the four-eye principle
at UL Deutschland they are all at
home in the VDE world [Association of
German Electricians] and at ease with
their philosophy. They know where to
look for any traps, as they are capable
of correctly interpreting the standards
on the basis of the particular basic
concept involved. Then, of course, we
speak the same language, and during
approximately the same working hours,
because there's no time shift between
Flensburg, Friedrichshafen and Neu-
Isenburg! Ultimately, being in the vicini-
ty is a major advantage despite wide-
spread use of the Internet and e-mail,
because sometimes there's only one
thing that helps: to meet, put all the
problems on the table, and then find
solutions to each of them in turn.
SICK insight: The close vicinity is also
helpful if one can have interviews as in-
teresting as today's. So thank you very
much for this conversation.
Facts and figures on the UL testing organisation
UL: on location worldwide with assured success
p More than 6,000 employees worldwide
p Turnover, 2002: EUR 463 million
p 127 UL test centres in 65 countries
p 17 billion UL test symbols applied in 2002
p Certification carried out at approx. 67,000 producers in 96 countries
p 106,942 product certifications carried out, complying to a total of
886 UL standards
p In addition to U
L
and U , UL carries out other types of certification,
including GS, CE, ISO 9000, ISO 14000; QS 9000, TL900, VDA 6.1
R
R
R
SICK insight 2/2003
Important information on the new ATEX directive 24 Standards
Ex-protection: what
changes has ATEX caused?
>> The aim of the new directive is to en-
sure the free movement of these prod-
ucts within the European Union. Taking
the differing international conditions in-
to account has led to numerous amend-
ments, the most important of which are
described below.
Clear delineation of
responsibility
The allocation of products to categories
is new. This has clearly separated the
sphere of responsibility of the customer
(whose application must be assigned to
a zone) and that of the device producer
(whose product must meet the require-
ments of the particular category). Cus-
tomers define their potentially explosive
area (e.g. Zone 1) and then select a de-
vice from the corresponding category
(2G in this case).
Customer must be more
specific about dust
Customers will be particularly surprised
about the effect of the new directive re-
garding dust. After a detailed exami-
nation, some applications will now have
to be assigned to Zone 22. For cus-
tomers, this means that the standard
devices used up to now may no longer
be employed. Furthermore, in Zone 22
it is necessary to determine whether
the application involves conductive dust
(e.g. metallic dust: Category 2D devices
required) or non-conductive dust (e.g.
grain: Category 3D devices required).
Regular Exi-audits in
production areas
In addition to the EU type examination
certificate for devices, certification of
the Production quality assurance sys-
tem is now necessary for the produc-
tion of Category 1 and 2 devices as a
supplement to ISO 9001. For cus-
tomers this guarantees consistently
high product quality, and continuous
back-tracing of products from the cus-
tomer, through production and back to
the suppliers.
Since 1 July 2003, only goods that comply with the new
94/9/EG (ATEX) directive, and the other relevant standards, can
be marketed for potentially explosive areas. This has brought
about a variety of changes for producers and customers.
Category
Suitable for use
in zone (gas)
Also suitable for
use in zone (gas)
Suitable for use
in zone (dust)
Also suitable for
use in zone (dust)
Definition (94/9/EG).
Potentially explosive
atmosphere exists:
Certifiable
through
Producers
responsibility
Customers responsibility
1G/1D
0
(0)
1 and 2
20
(10)
21 and 22
Permanently or long-
term or frequently
Notified
bodies
2G/2D
1
(1)
2
21
(11)
Zone 22
conductive dust
22 Occasionally
Notified
bodies
3G/3D
2
(2)
22
non-conductive
dust
(no comparable zone)
Rarely and
short-term
Producer
or notified
bodies
G = gas, D = dust; ( ) = old designation in brackets
Complies with the standard for potentially explosive areas
according to the new ATEX directive: the WLL 24 (right)
Objections in Britain: the EN 693 safety standards for hydraulic presses 25 Standards
Categories 3D and 3G require
special devices
The 94/9/EG (ATEX) directive no
longer permits the use of standard
devices with producer declarations
for Zone 2 and Temperature Class
T4. Categor y 3G/3D devices, that
can be used in Zones 2 and 22, must
conform to the new requirements.
Their protective measures are no
longer based on intrinsic safety, but
on the waterproofing and impact
immunity of the housing. This me-
chanical protection must be proved
by means of impact assessments
and bumping tests, among other
measures.
Category
Photoelectric
switches
Inductive
proximity sensors
Magnetic
proximity sensors
Magnetic
cylinder sensors
Safety light curtains
Safety Systems Industrial Sensors
1G
1D
2G W 24Exi
IM 08 IM 012
IM 18 IM 30
MM 12 MM 18
MZR 2 MZZ 1
MZP 3 MZP 4
3G
W 27-2
(special)
MZT 6
C 4000 Standard/Advanced,
Entry/Exit (selected types)
3D
W 27-2
(special)
MZT 6
C 4000 Standard/Advanced,
Entry/Exit (selected types)
>> In Britain (where about 50,000
presses are currently in operation) ex-
perts, among others from press manu-
facturer PJ Hare, believe that two-hand-
ed control systems alone provide insuf-
ficient protection at hydraulic presses.
The actual operator may indeed be pro-
tected by use of the two-handed con-
trol, but not third parties who remain
exposed during the hazardous phase of
the press cycle.
Productivity considerations
strengthen the status of non-
contact safety devices
Not just safety, but also process effi-
ciency and economics, support the use
of safety light curtains or other non-
contact safety devices, confirms
Hydraulic press standard EN 693 under discussion
Curtain up for safety and
efficiency
Michael Hare of PJ Hare. A light
screen triggers the press cycle quicker
than a two-hand control. And the opera-
tor has both hands free for other activi-
ties while the press is operating. A light
screen quickly pays for itself if one
takes this, and other aspects, into ac-
count. This was confirmed by Hugh
Duffy regarding safety technology the
machine construction company advis-
es: In numerous cases light screens
lead to significant increases in produc-
tivity of up to 60%.
Whatever the results of British ob-
jections to EN 693 apart from com-
prehensive safety; ergonomic, econom-
ic, and competitive arguments also
support the use of non-contact safety
devices on hydraulic presses.
Ambiguity and design differences have prompted the United
Kingdom to raise a formal objection to the EN 693 safety stan-
dard for hydraulic presses.
Objection! The UK is against the
EN 693 safety standard
2D
Accessories: EN2Ex isolating switch amplifier: the intrinsically safe electric circuits of the isolating switch amplifier are suitable for Zones 0, 1,
2, 20, 21 and 22. The device itself may not be installed in Zones 0, 1, 2, 20, 21 and 22.
SICK insight 2/2003
Overview of ATEX sensorics from SICK
SICK insight 2/2003
Motor feedback systems from SICK-STEGMANN 26 Technology
SinCos
SKS/SKM 36:
motor feedback systems in MiDi format
The maximum range of functions with minimum size manufac-
turers of small and micro-motors, in particular, are most appre-
ciative of the advantages of the SinCos
in-
terface makes it a plug & play information system for regulating
motors and drives.
>> It terms of its functional principle,
the SinCos
SKS/
SKM 36 is particularly appreciated by
producers of small and micro-motors,
at last allowing them to construct even
more compact drive systems. Thanks
to its micro-mechanical drive, a real
multiturn motor feedback system in a
36 mm housing is available, with which
absolute detection with up to 4,096 ro-
tations can also be achieved in this
motor segment.
Multiturn SKM 36 gears
insightLINK
Further info direct from
SICK-STEGMANN
SinCos