Better Machine

Safety Means
Better
Productivity

Learn the Value of

Embedded Safety Drives
and Networked Safety

»
 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

“Safety has evolved from being a cost burden and ‘necessary evil’ to
a strategy for improving productivity and reducing downtime.”
- ARC Advisory Group1

Traditionally, the functions of automated machine safety

and control have been kept separate. But advanced safety
technology embedded within automation components is not
just a means to ensure operator safety — it’s also a way to
improve performance.

This e-book explores how embedded safety drives and Ethernet-networked

drives lower hardware costs, increase operator safety, and reduce the
amount of “full shutdown” downtime, which adds up to more productivity.

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 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

Safety first
Given today’s high-throughput production lines, even a simple safety stop for a relatively short period of downtime
can be costly. However, technological advances now enable safety functionality to be embedded within automation
components such as variable speed drives and servo drives. A single drive component capable of standard control
functions as well as safety monitoring offers several advantages to OEMs and their end-user customers:

• Lower installation costs • Increased machine productivity

• Enhanced operator safety • Improved production line performance

Embedded safety drives ensure a safer working environment for machine operators by simplifying the safety
system. Drives that integrate both control and safety functionality reduce the complexity of engineering two
separate control and safety systems. Fewer devices and less cabling mean fewer potential points of failure.

Embedded safety drives offer OEMs and their end-user

customers several advantages

• 1 device instead of 2 Additional information

• Fewer circuit breakers For an industry analyst’s discussion on
Lower installation costs up to 30% savings
• Reduced cabling embedded safety and how modern safety
systems improve productivity, download the
• Simplified installation IHS white paper Machine Safety in
Factory Automation.
• Fewer potential points of failure
Enhanced operator safety
• Faster response to safety signals
Download Now
• Reduced wear and tear
Increased machine productivity
• Faster, safer manual intervention

• Less “full shutdown” downtime

Improved production line performance
• Faster restart times

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 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

Embedded safety
improves productivity
It may seem that the two concepts of “enhanced safety” and “improved productivity” are mutually exclusive
within the context of industrial machinery: safety demands downtime, whereas productivity demands uptime. But
today’s advanced safety technology — in particular, variable speed drives and servo drives embedded with safety
functionality — are able to better safeguard operators while minimizing production line shutdown time.

Instead of compromising the health of machinery, utilizing

a single drive component can actually improve machine
performance and extend its useful lifetime. Advanced
safety functions enable safe stop ramps without completely
shutting down power to the machines. This reduces the
chances of breakdown and avoids full-stop-and-restart
cycles. Production may continue at a reduced rate while
operators safely intervene to resolve machine stops.

Embedded safety drives integrate safety functions that

control the drive output to the electrical motor in response
to safety-related events. These functions can either stop
the drive without shutting off power to the motor entirely, or
control its speed — a drive does not have to “wait” for an
overspeed or blockage to signal an abnormal condition.
Three of the most common functions are STO (Safe Torque
Off), SLS (Safe Limited Speed), and SS1 (Safe Stop 1).

see definitions on next page »

Embedded safety drives

utilize stop ramps to allow
operators to intervene
safely and quickly
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 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

Embedded safety
improves productivity
STO (Safe Torque Off) SLS (Safe Limited Speed) Safe Stop 1 (SS1)

Frequency Frequency Frequency

Error Error
Actual Actual and Actual and
Frequency Frequency Stop Frequency Stop
Stop

0 Time 0 Time 0 Time

STO ensures that there will SLS slows down and SS1 stops a motor by
be no torque on the motor, then holds the motor at a controlled braking, according
so the machine is not able to predefined speed. If this to a predefined speed ramp.
move and harm operators or speed is exceeded, STO It checks that the motor has
damage components. The automatically kicks in. This actually stopped (or reached
electronic switching time is function protects machinery a predefined minimum
much faster than with electro- by ensuring that damage is speed), then activates STO.
mechanical components in a not caused by machines’ This function brakes high-
conventional solution. running too fast, and also speed motors more quickly
enables operators to reduce and safely than conventional
the speed of a machine electromechanical solutions.
to a level where they can The automatic switchover to
safely intervene. STO enhances operator safety.

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 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

Embedded safety drives

reduce costs
Using an embedded safety drive means investing in one component rather than two. Specifically, the initial cost
outlay of two devices — one for control and one for safety — is reduced by using a single device that has both
safety and control functionality.

Although variable speed drives or servo drives with embedded safety are likely to cost more than drives solely
used for control or for safety, the overall hardware cost savings can be as high as 30%. Complementary savings
are realized from reduced cabling needs, fewer circuit breakers, and simplified installation. Plus, the savings from
reduced cabling can account for 15% of the installation costs.2 A single embedded safety drive eliminates the
cabling cost associated with connecting numerous devices, which can be a significant amount.

Most important, a safety system with fewer devices is likely to be more robust. Fewer devices and less cabling
reduce the potential for failure. Generally, a simpler system is a safer system. With every additional device that
is needed to construct the safety system, the overall performance and reliability are lessened — no matter how
highly rated the individual components are.

Replacing hardware with embedded software, which is certified for specific conditions, increases the overall
reliability index of the system. When a system segregates safety and control functions, one must ensure that both
control and safety are well coordinated. Whereas with embedded safety, the function and the behavior of the
control are certified to be linked to this safety function — precluding a source of failure.

Generally, a simpler system is a safer system. With every

additional device that is needed to construct the safety system,
the overall performance and reliability are lessened — no matter
how highly rated the individual components are.
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 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

Embedded safety over Ethernet

Opening up new ways to respond to potentially unsafe conditions in a controlled manner, technological
advancements now enable safety devices to be networked as a cohesive system. Networking simplifies the
integration of automation and safety control, offering all the operational and cost-saving advantages of a less-
complex system, as well as additional benefits:

• Lower installation costs due to fewer hardware components and reduced cabling — and therefore fewer potential
points of failure

• Faster commissioning time

• Quicker and easier certification

• Simplified (and less expensive) maintenance

A number of safety protocols are already used widely for networking discrete machine safety components.
Analysts forecast an increasingly higher adoption rate in the foreseeable future. The compatibility of both the
safety- and control-based protocols have enabled quick and straightforward integration to a single low-cost, high-
speed Ethernet network.

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 Embedded safety over Ethernet
Safety networking protocol analysis (2013 vs. 2018) Integration allows safety and control systems to “talk” with
each other and share data such as diagnostics, system
The World Market for Machine safety by status, alarms, events, and other critical information. Safety
Networking Technology over Ethernet simplifies safety system communications,
2013-2018 (Thousands of Nodes Connected) reducing the need for multiple hardware components
and their associated expense. A standard networking
CIP Safety (via
backbone for the safety system means that automatic
Ethernet/IP)
slowdown can be implemented for the production line,
CIP Safety (via
DeviceNet) enabling better management and coordination
PROFISAFE (via
PROFINET)
of production.
PROFISAFE (via
PROFIBUS)
Embedded safety over Ethernet also benefits OEMs and
OpenSAFETY
their end-user customers during the certification process.
AS-Interface Safety 2013 As devices are networked using a standard but robust
at work

2018 Ethernet cable using a certified channel, the system

Safety over EtherCAT
performance is guaranteed.
CC-Link Safety

SafetyNET p Safety over Ethernet simplifies

SafetyBUS p safety system communications,
SafeEthernet reducing the need for multiple
Other hardware components and their
Source: IHS
0.0 500.0 1,000.0 1,500.0 2,000.0 2,500.0 3,000.0
Apr-15 associated expense.

Wireless Today’s wireless solutions adhere to stringent safety standards and have overcome
challenges that have hindered adoption in the past. The Schneider Electric white Download Now
Safety Control paper Wireless Technology – Changing the Face of Safety Applications explores how
modern wireless implementations can benefit user safety and boost productivity.

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 Better Machine Safety Means Better Productivity

Conclusion
Advanced safety technology — in particular, variable speed drives and servo drives that integrate safety and
control functionality — increases operator protection while simultaneously minimising the amount of time the
production line is shut down. No longer are productivity and safety mutually exclusive objectives.

Embedded safety drives represent a new, forward-looking alternative to the conventional approach of using
multiple hardware components to create separate, independent systems for machine control and safety.
Embedding safety functionality into the control drives reduces the
complexity of the safety system, and generally a less complicated
system is a safer system. No longer are
Not only do embedded safety drives reduce hardware costs by as
productivity and
much as 30%, they also extend the useful lifetime of machinery. Safety safety mutually
functions enable safe stop ramps without completely shutting down exclusive objectives.
power to the machines, improving overall production line performance.

Networking safety systems over Ethernet cable enables quicker certification and easier integration of safety and
control. System complexity and wiring is also significantly reduced, which helps improve overall safety due to
fewer components with the potential to fail.

As with embedded safety drives, networking a control and safety system using an integrated, single backbone
improves operator safety whilst enabling cost and installation time savings. Adopting embedded safety hardware
and communications can realize a significant cost advantage over the traditional hardwired and stand-alone
approach.

For more This ebook is an abridged version of the Schneider Electric white
Download Now
information paper, How Embedded Safety Drives and Networked Safety Cut
Costs and Boost Productivity. Please download the complete white
paper for more detail.

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References
1
ARC Advisory Group, “PROFIsafe: Networked Safety for Process and
Factory Automation”
2
Javier González Lombardía, “Wireless Technology – Changing the
Face of Safety Applications” (Schneider Electric).

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