Safety Enclosure Ecosystem
Contents
Overview
Vention’s Safety Enclosure system features all the necessary components to deploy a complete safety fencing system or robot cell that integrates directly with the MachineMotion’s safety rated input. In this technical document the following will be covered: creation of safety panels, interlocks, creation of doors, and door retention methods.
Applications
The typical applications include enclosures for high inertial machinery or non-collaborative robot cells and automation equipment. The enclosure is used to contain the risk and prevent workers from entering a high risk zone. Take a look at Vention’s public designs or this enclosure design for some inspiration.
Safety Panel (ST-PN-002-0002)
The default safety panels used to create Vention enclosures are created using extrusion framing with a height of 1980mm (6.50 ft) and a width of 1215mm (4 ft) between extrusion centers:
The BOM for one of these panels include:
- 3x ST-EXT-001-1170, standard aluminum extrusion
- 2x ST-EXT-001-1980, standard aluminum extrusion
- 2x ST-PN-002-0002, wire mesh panel
- 2x ST-SE-001-0003, steel floor anchors
The extrusions must be connected together with assembly plates. This can be done strategically, especially when connecting multiple panels together. An example design of a single panel and assembly plates can be found here.
Panel Specifications
| Height of Panel | 1980mm (78.0 in) |
| Width of Panel (between centers) | 1215mm (47.8 in) |
| Height above floor | 90mm (3.5 in) |
| Mesh Opening | 25.4mm (1.0 in) square |
| Wire Mesh Diameter | 3.2mm (⅛ in) |
| Allowable Force Without Panel Retainers | 600N (135 lbf) |
For increased load capabilities, add panel retainers to fix the mesh panels in place.
Enclosure Doors
The entry of your safety enclosure can be constructed by using extrusions to build a door. The dimensions of the door should result on a panel which 135mm narrower (when measured from extrusion centers) than the static panels. This difference in size is to allow for the door to fit in the standard opening size and avoid an interference. Fill the door in with any of our cut to size custom panels. This sizing will yield a 22.5mm gap on either side of the door with one side supported by the Vention Door Hinge (ST-SE-005-0001), allowing for full 180 degree opening.
The other side of the door can be held closed by the Vention Gate Bolt. Depending on the level of safety required by the safety enclosure, an interlock can also be installed on the door either as part of the Gate Bolt (ST-SE-006-XXXX) or a stand alone Safety Switch (ST-SE-007-0001).
The door can be filled with your choice of custom sized wire mesh (ST-PN-002-0001) or shatter resistant clear polycarbonate panel (ST-PN-004-0001).
A single simply supported hinge (ST-SE-005-0001) can support up to 600kg in pure shear. A door with 2 hinges can support a moment up to 1000 N⋅m in bending.
If the enclosure is being designed for use with 22.5mm extrusion, then the light duty hinge (MO-HG-004-0001) can be used to reduce the gap to zero on the hinge side. The light duty hinge allows 180 degree rotation.
Two Way Door Connector
When a Two-Way Extended Door Connector (ST-GP-004-0006) is used to create a door frame with an interlocking part such as a Spring-Loaded Grab Catch (HW-LT-002-0001), Gate Bolt (ST-SE-006-0001) or Safety Interlock switch (CE-SA-010-0000) on the edge, stiffeners must be used.
The figure on the left side illustrates an example of a non-rigid door with an interlocking part. The middle figure shows an arrangement of four L-Shaped Aluminum Assembly Plates (ST-GP-001-0005) that can be mounted in each corner to achieve increased frame stiffness. L-Shaped plates are to be installed over the 2-way door connector, however only three bolts will fit, this is correct. Alternatively, as shown on the right side figure, a cross brace can be created by fastening two 45mm x 45mm Door Spacers (ST-GP-002-0006) on each end of an extrusion which will also increase stiffness.
Safety Gate Bolt (ST-SE-006-XXXX)
A safety interlock switch is recommended in order to properly secure your safety enclosure door, when activated it will immediately power off all actuators connected to the MachineMotion controller.
Vention’s Gate Bolt is available with or without a safety interlock tongue and groove system and features an adjustable slide with an anti-vibration system so you don’t have to worry about your gate bolt and door unintentionally opening.
The Gate Bolt comes in four variants, a right (ST-SE-006-0001__2 or ST-SE-006-0011__2) and a left (ST-SE-006-1001__2 or ST-SE-006-1011__2), with or without an interlock included. Both feature the same allowable door gap and the versions with interlock included have the following specifications. Gate Bolts with interlock also include a 3 meter M12 4-Pin extension (CE-CA-028-3000).
Gate Bolt Specifications
| Allowable Door Gap | 0 to 22.5mm |
| Interlock Contact Configuration | 2 N.C. (Normally Closed) Contacts |
| Interlock Connector | Male M12 4-Pin |
| Actuator Travel for Opening | 6mm |
| Force for Opening [N] | 12N |
Note: A 90x90 Rest Pad (HW-RP-002-0006) can be used as a door stopper to prevent the gate from swinging inwards.
Safety Interlock Switch (ST-SE-007-0001)
For a door with a 22.5mm gap, a Safety Interlock Switch (ST-SE-007-0001) with a door catch can be used as a substitute. The switch and groove mechanism features the same Interlock as the Gate Bolt with identical specifications. A door stopper is included and the entire assembly is fully reversible for left/right opening.
Note: When creating a door assembly, the door must be wider than 150mm to allow the tongue to properly enter the interlock.
For any questions about creating a custom Vention assembly for your application contact our application engineers via a design review.
Spring Loaded Grab Catch
The Vention spring-loaded grab catch (HW-LT-002-0001) can be used in conjunction with the gate bolt, safety interlock or alone. When used with 45mm extrusions, the allowable gap is 0 to 22.5mm. For 22.5mm extrusion doors the allowable gap is 22.5 to 45mm.
Note: A rest pad is still required to prevent the gate from swinging inward. Also, place the grab catch close to the door handle otherwise the door will not open or close smoothly.
Emergency Stop Switch (CE-SA-007-0000)
A Emergency Stop Switch is recommended in order to immediately power off all actuators connected to the MachineMotion controller. The Emergency Stop Switch must be connected to the MachineMotion Safety-In port. Multiple emergency stop switches can be connected to a single MachineMotion using the Safety-In and Safety-Out ports on the switch. If only one switch is used the included jumper should be connected to the Safety-In port on the switch.
Wiring Diagram
The interlock on the Safety Switch (ST-SE-007-0001) or Safety Gate Bolt (ST-SE-006-0001 or ST-SE-006-1001) comes with a safety wire splitter. The interlock must be connected to the MachineMotion Safety-In port. Multiple interlocks and Emergency Stop Switches can be connected to a single MachineMotion using the wire splitter provided with the interlock or Safety-In and Safety-Out ports on the switch. If only one interlock is used the included jumper must be connected to the unused port.