A new live data-collection service has been launched by SICK that is said to make machine safety systems transparent, allowing events to be responded to rapidly. Longer-term analysis is said to optimise maintenance and improve productivity.
The new SICK Safety Machine Analytics displays a live visualisation of one or more machines, allowing users to monitor the status of safety processes in real time, investigate the root-causes of stoppages, and take steps to eliminate them. The software supports improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by acquiring data from safety sensors, then displaying interrupts in real time, as well as a graphical representation of system trends.
SICK Safety Machine Analytics can be quickly and easily installed on any device with a web browser, and linked to multiple safety sensors or actuators, independent of hardware. Users upload images of their machines, then overlay safety sensors onto the visualised scene to facilitate navigation of real-time data. With access rights set by the administrator, the system can then provide instant feedback, as well as longer-term historical analysis for maintenance and production management.
Industry 4.0 for Safety Analytics
“The benefits of extracting data from sensors at the heart of machines have become well accepted as part of Industry 4.0 condition monitoring, however, for some users, connecting to safety systems may still feel daunting,” says Dr Martin Kidman, SICK UK Machinery Safety Product Manager.
“SICK Safety Machine Analytics is a simple and secure way of taking a virtual tour around the safety systems on your machines to look for any weak spots. You can drill down and identify any interrupts, so they can be quickly rectified. Once connected to a machine, this system offers a low-investment opportunity to identify where gains can be made in productivity by increasing machine uptime.”