TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION ADVERTORIAL RAFI presents first industrial touchscreen with force detection R


AFI presented its latest command and control technology innovations at the 2018


electronica exhibition in Munich, Germany. These include TWIN TOUCH touchscreen technology, new touchscreen control solutions from the FLEXSCAPE program, and the expanded line of RAMO pushbuttons. In addition, RAFI showcased new emergency stop pushbuttons for use in handheld remote control units that clearly signal their active or inactive state. As stipulated by DIN EN ISO 13850, inactive buttons do not have the appearance of safety devices.


TWIN TOUCH is a touchscreen that not only detects capacitive touch inputs but also the pressure exerted on the panel. This new feature prevents false inputs through external forces; it increases operating reliability and allows the implementation of additional input levels. Pressure thresholds for input recognition can be set via software. The new FLEXSCAPE input devices for integration in touchscreens also open up new possibilities: the FLEXSCAPE ONE pushbutton is activated by touch, but is only switched when a certain pressure threshold is exceeded. Tactile feedback to confirm switching enables safe no-look operation. A low-cost alternative to milled contours in the touchscreen, FLEXSCAPE WHEEL is a finger guide that comes as a sticker, which can simply be attached to the glass surface.


A selection from RAFI's vast portfolio of switches was also on display, notably including new products from the RAMO series with M12 connectors: emergency stop pushbuttons, selector switches, key switches, and USB/RJ45 bushings now complement the existing range of pushbuttons and signal lamps in the RAMO lineup. Featuring single-part, fully enclosed IP65-rated mono-housings, these control elements and lamps are fully protected against spray water. They can be easily installed without additional protective enclosures and enable plug & play connection via M12 plugs. Thus, they provide an extremely economical and practical solution for fitting distributed industrial applications with individual operating and display elements. RAFI furthermore presented the new LUMOTAST 16 active/inactive emergency stop pushbutton for detachable or wireless control units. Only when the control device is actively connected, this pushbutton made of transparent colorless plastic is lit up by a red LED, as required by DIN EN ISO 13850. On inactive buttons, the light is off. Lacking the typical red coloring, the clear plastic mushroom cannot be easily mistaken for a functional E-Stop control.


RAFI GmbH & Co. KG u +49 . 751 . 891 307 u www.rafi.de “Don’t let the 18th Edition stunt your growth”


Type B DC sensitive RCDs are rated at 30 mA. They can be tested by a range of premium test equipment using various routines. However these testers are usually limited to a DC sensitivity in the region of 15 mA and above, nothing as low as 6 mA. How are we to test the charge points with 30 mA AC and 6 mA DC protection, also known type EV RCDs?


Fortunately there is a solution. Metrel has developed the innovative EVSE Adapter A 1532, which plugs directly into charge points, known as electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to the regulators, giving access without opening the box. One of the immediate advantages is that the adapter accesses the charge point in the same manner as an electrical vehicle and thus tests the system as whole. It can test the charging point in all charging state outputs, disconnected, charge ready, active charging (with and without ventilation) and pilot error.


While it can be used with a range for all-in-one testers, it is only the Metrel MI 1352 that offers the 6 mA DC test to confirm compliance with the 18th Edition. The MI 3152 touch screen installation tester offers programmable auto sequences to cost-effectively help the engineer through all the required tests and ensuring they never again leave an installation without completing the full set of test results for certification and invoicing. The installation and inspection of the vast number of vehicle charging points required in the UK by the government’s target date of 2030 is the biggest commercial opportunity for the electrical trades in history.


“Despite assertions to the contrary the 18th Edition should have an impact on testing”, says Brendan Beaver, Sales Manager of Metrel, the provider of innovative test solutions. “Vehicle charging points can, from the first of January, be protected by either a RCD type B or a RCD type A and appropriate equipment that ensures disconnection of the supply in case of a DC fault above 6 mA”


Contractors are going to be attracted to fitting car charging points with the latter protection to avoid the need of using a more costly B type RCD. However in the good old days, when life was simpler, a DC current of around 6 mA was used to lock A type RCDs to stop them from tripping during loop testing, so the 6 mA DC current protection needs checking.


CONNECTINGINDUSTRY.COM/ELECTRICALENGINEERING ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | NOVEMBER 2018 55


Metrel u 0044 1924 245000 u www.metrel.co.uk


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