Occupational safety should be made easy to keep people following instructions. Previously, the safety doors of robot cells had a latch and workers used personal padlocks. The solution was safe, but handling a personal lock and key was difficult and time-consuming.
The lockout-tagout bolt locking system developed by Fortress Interlocks Limited is a mechanical solution that can easily introduce LOTO functionality to existing doors. The solution can bring LOTO to hinged doors without the need for personal locks.
- The bolt lock module is installed to the door jamb with an installation kit.
- When the key is turned, the bolt extends from the cylinder, preventing accidental closing of the safety door.
- With the bolt extended, the user can remove the key and bring it with them inside the cell.
- This prevents the closing of the door with the user inside the cell.
This is a much simpler LOTO system that has saved the time of employees and spared them from having to carry personal locks.
Employees need to pass through safety doors many times during their shift to clean the area, clear faults caused by incorrectly unloaded or stacked pallets, and monitor automatic picking, for example. Because the protection uses the robot cell’s internal safety circuits, no zero-energy solution is needed. Securing the safety door is of vital importance because the robots can carry enormous energies during operation and their movements are strictly programmed. The locking system saves human lives.
Kukkonen is happy with their collaboration with Sarlin. “We installed the locks ourselves and the work was simple. I’d looked for robot cell safety door solutions all over the world and requested offers, but finally found a completely mechanical solution.”
