SWITCHES
plastic Series 84 IO link features four lateral illuminated windows that provide 180 degree visible system status feedback. The static or flashing RGB LED illumination is particularly bright and thanks to the integrated light level sensor, the HMI always illuminates at the right intensity for the ambient lighting condition. Traditional pushbutton HMIs are often
exposed to extremely harsh external factors: In the food & beverage industry and in medical applications for instance, their actuators often suffer from reduced reliability due to exposure to corrosive cleaning agents. And in applications such as in-cab driver/operator controls in special vehicles harsh chemicals join other external factors - such as hard-to-remove dirt, fine dust, severe vibration and blunt impact - in shortening the lifetime of the HMI. To address these problems EAO’s Series 82
family of electro-mechanical pushbutton switches has recently been extended to include 22mm mount devices that offer all round IP67 protection. The new devices are manufactured in food grade SUS 316L stainless steel and are heavily ‘overmoulded’ with a jacket of Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) to provide protection against damage from vibration or impact. The overmoulding also provides reliable protection against cleaning agents and environmental contaminants while the chemical resistant Tritan plastic used for the light guide ensures consistent clarity of the ring illumination. The new Series 82 for 22mm mounting
feature a built-in industry standard M12 connector at the rear of the unit. Connecting any suitable pre-wired M12 cable to this connector renders the new push-buttons all round IP67 compliant.
LIN Bus switch panel A car, van or bus can have upwards of fifteen switches available to the driver/ operator, controlling seats, mirrors, heating, window – the list goes on and on depending on the level of trim of a particular vehicle. Specialist vehicles can have many more! Voice operated ‘Smart’ control is on its way, but for some applications it’s a safe bet that this technology won’t feature in the next vehicle you buy. In the meantime, switches for vehicle interiors need to be cost effective, attractive, reliable and when the time comes, easily recyclable. Specially developed for vehicle in-cabin
control applications the Local Interconnect Network (LIN) Bus - a lower cost alternative to
the Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus message-based communications protocol – has proved to be a convenient and speedy way to commission driver/operator control of comfort features in trucks and buses but increasingly, for the management of important security functions such as Reset, Lock & Unlock in specialist vehicle adaptations such as fire appliances, cranes, earth-movers etc. EAO has combined its experience in low-cost switches for vehicle applications with its expertise in the CAN Bus arena to add a range of LIN Bus devices to its Series 09 family. The new nine-switch LIN Bus switch sub
assembly is quickly and easily connected up before being clipped or screwed into position. Enhanced application flexibility is provided by the configurable switch assignment that allows a range of back- illuminated standard ISO 7000 or custom symbols to be configured to meet individual vehicle requirements. EAO Series 09 Switch Panels can also be ordered with optional red status indicators.
Intuitive and tactile In applications such as transit coaches, buses and access control in public buildings a push-button switch must be conveniently locatable and operated, even in an emergency. Similar imperatives apply in HMI applications such as found in heavy lifting & moving equipment. EAO’s Series 82 range of switches offer a
large actuation surface and intuitive operation thanks to enhanced visual and tactile feedback. Manufactured using stainless steel or anodised aluminium Series
82 switches are resistant to many anti-viral and other cleaning agents and are IP65/IP67 compliant. Series 82 switches are available in a range of front bezel material options, laser marked with a choice of standard ISO 7000 or custom symbols, enabling an application-specific design to be produced quickly and easily. Recent enhancements to the range have added models with high- contrast and vividly illuminated symbols that enhance both their visual appeal and functionality. Series 82 plug-in connector switches require a mounting depth of just 32.5mm and offer a service life of >5 million (typ.) operational cycles.
And what of the future? Switch design and technology continues to evolve. Digitisation is compelling manufacturers to adopt radically new approaches to machinery and equipment HMIs but at the same time is creating an even more intensive working environment for operators. The current buzz terms are ergonomics, haptics and bus-based switching. Ergonomics (from the Greek ergon meaning work, and nomoi meaning natural laws) is defined as the science of designing and arranging things in frequent use to maximise efficiency and safety. Until such times as voice and/or gesture control become widely available manufacturers are still striving to improve switch ‘haptics’ by stimulating the senses of touch and motion to reproduce intuitive operation akin to that experienced by a user interacting directly with a physical object. For the foreseeable future electro-
mechanical switches will continue to be the solution of choice in simple low and medium cost switching applications, but digital bus- based switching such as CAN, LIN and IO-Link, which reduce electrical wiring and allow diagnostics and enhanced communication has been proven in automotive, machinery and factory automation applications and as costs of these technologies reduces, is certain to grow in importance.
EAO Ltd
www.eao.com
NOVEMBER 2021 | ELECTRONICS TODAY 27
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