APPLIED TECHNOLOGY SAFETY & SECURITY A SAFE SOLUTION FOR CRASH TEST SIMULATION
When implementing a safety concept for a crash simulation system and needing CE certification, Continental Safety Engineering International in Alzenau obtained the support of the safety experts from Leuze electronic. The vehicle crash system accelerates or drives vehicles or vehicle prototypes
against a crash block, moving barriers or other vehicles. The crash simulation system, however, which is in the form of a servo-hydraulic, controlled sled system, is used to perform tests without destroying expensive vehicles. Typical applications for the sled system include the development and testing of frontal, side and head air bags, vehicle and child seats, belt systems and other interior components. It is also used for realistic testing of components such as high-voltage batteries, locks, hinges and mounting brackets for load restraint. The data from deceleration processes acquired during crash tests are
used as acceleration definitions for the sled with the test object, which is accelerated from standstill by a pneumatic working cylinder. Put simply, this is as if one would catapult a crash block against the car body instead of a car body against a crash block. In this way, frontal, side and rear-end crashes can be simulated with reproducible parameters. Thanks to pulse reproducibility with values better than ±1g and 0.1m/s, complex acceleration processes are recreated and implemented with a servo-hydraulic plunger brake unit. During a test, the acceleration of the sled is measured constantly. These signals serve as control variables for controlling the system in order to achieve optimum agreement with the specification. An acceleration distance of 1,700mm suffices in the sled system. This
path represents the maximum distance on which, in a real crash, vehicle deformation results from the impact with the bumper until standstill. At this distance, a nominal force of 2,500kN is available which is used to catapult a maximum test weight of 3,000kg plus the weight of the sled and piston - 1500kg - at 60 times the acceleration due to gravity. In this short time, sled speeds of up to 90km/h are reached. The accelerations of the enormous masses for the simulation tests occur in just milliseconds, from zero to a maximum value. Martin Kahlert, team leader, comments: “Aside from the fact that the actual danger zone is highly variable over its entire width, e.g., due to attachments for mounted high-speed video cameras, parts of test objects could separate and, in the worst case, be projected like bullets.” All employees must therefore exit the hall prior to every crash simulation. Due to the size of the hall and the various doors and gates, a sophisticated
PROTECTING OFF-HIGHWAY EQUIPMENT
Automotive trends often set expectations that ripple through other industries, such as the ability to lock/unlock a door remotely. The technology most commonly used is RF, whereby the user presses a switch on a transmitter, sending a wireless signal to a receiver mounted on the vehicle actuating relays which operate the electronic power door locks installed throughout the vehicle. Some automobiles have also adopted vehicle-mounted digital keypads, while others have used passive RF systems that unlock the doors as soon as the transmitter is within a specific proximity to the receiver. More recent trends use Bluetooth based access via wireless communication. Now, however, heavy equipment operators have the same expectations of
the vehicles, plant and equipment they use on the job. An electronically operated locking mechanism, for example, provides intelligence not available with a mechanical key locking solution. The electronic access solution can incorporate logic to control auxiliary functions such as lighting, alarms and audit trail data for tracking access attempts over time. Furthermore, electronic locking provides the added intelligence to easily add, delete and remotely control valid digital ‘keys’ or credentials. Off-highway equipment fitted with robust electronic locks and latches
allows the equipment owner to remotely lock and unlock vehicles via a signal through a connected key fob, keypad or Bluetooth enabled device. These electronic access solutions record a digital record of activity, allowing the equipment owner to view the status of each access point, such as when an
6 JUNE 2014 | DESIGN SOLUTIONS
safety concept was necessary, and this was realised with support as well as safety components from Leuze electronic. At its centre is a precisely defined routine, according to which the system
operator in charge personally locks all entrances from the inside in sequence and within specific time windows. After the hall has been cleared of people he then exits through the door in the control room. The pending test can only be triggered after this routine has been successfully and correctly performed with explicit confirmation at all control points. The focus of the Safety Consulting project was on the development
and implementation of a suitable safety concept. This also involved the implementation of a safety controller, including the necessary components, such as safety locking devices for the doors, additional magnetically coded sensors and safety relays. Here, the SISTEMA and Safexpert software programs were used to efficiently perform the CE certification with the objective of producing the Declaration of Conformity. The SISTEMA software wizard for
evaluating safety-related machine controls offers extensive support during the evaluation of safety within the framework of DIN EN ISO 13849-1. The tool can be used to reproduce the structure of safety- related control parts and permits the automated calculation of permissible values on various detail levels, including of the achieved Performance Level.
Furthermore, the proven Safexpert software for the CE certification in accordance with Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and for the risk assessment was used. This contains a hazards list that enables a methodical procedure in accordance with EN ISO 12100. The basis for the entire safety concept was an on-site, joint assessment of the current, individual safety situation. One of the main components for the company was the training for programming the MSI safety controller with the MSIsafesoft programming software. On the hardware side it is mainly the MSI safety relays which contribute to simple implementation of the safety application. These function as monitoring and integration components for the L200 safety locking devices used on the doors and gates to securely lock all safety doors and thereby prevent the unauthorised entry of persons during a crash simulation. All doors are also monitored by MC 300 magnetically coded sensors as
specified due to the high Performance Level. Leuze electronic
www.leuze.com Enter 201
engine hood or toolbox was opened, and by whom. This information is available remotely and can be networked with other security systems – if, for example, a machine is stolen from the job site, the owner can contact their security service, which can then locate and lock out that piece of equipment. This remote lock/unlock feature can also be used in operator safety
situations, such as when an operator must climb a ladder to access the cab door on a large piece of construction equipment. To access the cab, the operator must remove a hand from the ladder to open the door, shifting from four points of contact with the ladder to three. Integrating electronic access such as an RF proximity system into the cab door design can provide a safe means of opening the door remotely before the operator starts the climb, allowing four points of contact all the way into the cab. Southco offers proven mechanical solutions as well as intelligent electronic
locking mechanisms, such as the R4-EM Electronic Rotary Latch. This provides secure, concealed latching which can be networked with access control devices including remote control key fobs, pin pads and electronic keys. The new R4-EM Outdoor Electronic Rotary Latch, for example, can withstand dust, humidity, extreme temperatures and other environmental conditions. The latching mechanism is sealed against moisture and dust, has a high working load and can be easily integrated into engine hoods, toolboxes and cab entry applications where enhanced security and rugged electronic access is required.
Southco Europe T: 01905 346500
Enter 202 / DESIGNSOLUTIONS
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44