Design of the mechatronic system for access control to protected areas of production lines

Abstract

One of the critical characteristics of machine plants is safety at work. Safety barriers are one of the measures to reduce risk at work. Barriers are often used when controlling access to zones of increased danger is necessary. The type of protection depends on the type of industrial plant, risk assessment, and applicable regulations. To achieve the desired functionality, proper application and complete integration of the protection system into an existing management system are necessary. The paper shows the structural solution of the protection system in the printing plant of the “Tetra Pak” company from Gornji Milanovac. The main requirement is to provide entry to the protected zone only after the entry request has been sent and processed. Another requirement is to stop the plant in a predefined position. To meet the requirements, it is necessary to determine the required SIL (System Integrity Level) from the reference standard and determine the electronic components properly. In addition, complete knowledge of all processes and cycles of the production line is necessary. Safety electrical components were used to implement the project: Safety PLC, Electromagnetic Safety Locks with Call buttons, Emergency-Stop buttons, and optoelectronic and inductive sensors.