RS Components announces availability of new GuardLink™ component enabling greater machine and plant safety
Key piece in GuardLink safety system, Allen-Bradley Guardmaster® 440S tap provides engineers with high visibility of system status
RS Components (RS), the trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), a global multi-channel provider of industrial and electronic products and solutions, has made available a new Guardmaster® smart device for the Allen-Bradley GuardLink™ system from Rockwell Automation, which is designed to enhance safety and increase machine- and plant-wide efficiency. Aimed at designers of machine systems and providing a simpler, effective and more productive safety solution,
Allen-Bradley GuardLink technology is a communications protocol that links smart-safety devices and systems to connected enterprise networks.
Deployment of the technology provides maintenance engineers and professionals with visibility of the system status at all levels including down to individual guard doors and e-stops. It provides easy access to diagnostic data across connected safety management devices and enables fast troubleshooting. This approach contrasts with a standard series of safety devices, which typically involves significantly more wiring and introduces many more potential fault points, which can lead to unnecessary and unplanned downtime.
There is an extensive range of Guardmaster devices that feature the GuardLink technology and offer high flexibility in delivering information and advanced functionality. Now available at RS, the Guardmaster 440S tap acts as an adapter and connects safety input devices such as output-signal-switching inputs or electromechanical-safety-switch inputs to a GuardLink system. Up to 32 safety devices – including guard-locking switches, non-contact switches, light curtains, limit switches, e-stops and key interlocks – can be connected to a GuardLink system via these Guardmaster taps. The taps provide safety device location and status to a Guardmaster DG safety relay, which is connected via standard four-wire cables with M12 connectors. System connection to enterprise networks can then be achieved via the 440R-ENETR Ethernet/IP network interface.
Shipping now from RS in the EMEA region, variants of the 440S tap series include five- and eight-pin M12 devices with either electromechanical or solid-state contacts.