Rockwell Debuts New Allen-Bradley CIP Safety Encoders Built for Industrial Applications
Certified for industrial automation applications, the new Allen-Bradley encoder is CIP Safety certified and equipped with other brand new features.
The company said the new encoders are designed for safety applications requiring speed, direction or position-monitoring functions. The components would also help users be more productive, give them more visibility on machines’ events and reduce design times.
The Allen-Bradley 843ES CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP Absolute Encoders. Image used courtesy of Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation.
Key Features
While safety is a primary feature in Rockwell Automation’s new encoders, the Allen-Bradley 843ES encoders provide engineers with more than that.
According to the firm, the components would also help users being more productive as they are the first on the market featuring CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP capable of up to SIL 3/PLe safety applications.
The company, however, clarified the encoders can guarantee this performance only if used as part of an integrated safety system including an Allen-Bradley GuardLogix 5580 controller or Compact GuardLogix 5380 controller.
Another key feature of Rockwell Automation’s new products is their ability to shorten response times and provide users visibility by integrating safety with standard control systems. By integrating safety functions over EtherNet/IP the Allen-Bradley 843ES can reduce hardware and installation costs, while additionally saving design times.
Auxiliary feedback through an EtherNet/IP network on CIP Safety also means higher safety integrity and performance with fewer components and a reduced machine footprint.
Certified for Industrial Automation Applications
Rockwell Automation said the Allen-Bradley 843ES encoders are designed to be used in different industrial applications, including entertainment, material handling, mining, and automotive manufacturing. To satisfy the inherent differences in these industrial processes, the new encoders come with three configuration options, solid and hollow shafts, and several different flange options.
They are also CIP Safety certified, which provides the encoders with the ability to be mixed safety with other devices on the same network for increased integration and flexibility.
Ultimately, CIP Safety translates into fail-safe communication between various nodes in safety applications up to Safety Integrity Level 3 following IEC 61508 standards.
An optimized machine configuration using the Allen-Bradley 843ES Absolute Encoders. Image used courtesy of Allen-Bradley/Rockwell Automation.
Integrated safety solves the problem of machines in which a safety event in one section could result in the entire system shutting down because the standard system had limited knowledge of the safety event.
With integrated safety capabilities, machine control and safety systems coexist on the same network and share data between the safety and standard applications, allowing localized “zone control” where one zone of the machine is isolated into a safe state while other zones continue to operate.
Being the first encoders on the market featuring CIP Safety over EtherNet/IP, the Allen-Bradley 843ES are set to provoke ripples in the automation industry.
Want to know more about them? You can check out the product page on the Allen-Bradley website here.
What do you think about the new encoders? Will you be using them in your company?
