Worry-free access management

The operating and safety concept at Starrag Heckert was one of the areas under scrutiny when updating the Heckert compact machinery. Operator errors and manipulations on the plant operating systems for the Starrag machines were to be excluded in future. That’s why the machine tool manufacturer enhanced the classic operating mode selection system PITmode fusion from Pilz, which had already been in use for some time. Working in close cooperation, a holistic entry and access permission management system for Safety and Security tasks is now in use. Today this system enables individually configurable keys with personal, manipulation-proof access and operating rights. At the same time, there are clear rules regarding who has permission to access which machine and process data.

The complete, downward-compatible solution for Safety and Security tasks consists of the read/write unit PITreader with RFID technology and integrated web server, plus a safe evaluation unit. This combines the reader, keypad and safety controller. In conjunction with the operation element PIT oe 4s and the data interface PIT oe USB, which can be activated depending on permissions, the enhanced solution is setting new standards, particularly in Security. The highlight: via software on the PC, Starrag can now create the user-based generic keys easily themselves and assign them personalised codes. As a result, PITmode fusion ensures that when an operator on the Starrag machine inserts the key, they can only carry out the actions and accesses attributed to them – whereby multiple machines with different authorisations can be managed simultaneously.

• Maximum Safety & Security on the machine
• Maximum flexibility and transparency for user management
• Solution meets all the requirements of the EU Machinery Regulation, which enters into force in 2027.

Starrag Group is based in Rorschach/Switzerland and is a global manufacturer of precision machine tools and machining centres. The focus is on milling, turning, boring and grinding of workpieces made of metal, composites and ceramics. The umbrella brand includes a total of eleven divisions or product areas, among them Starrag Heckert, based in the Saxon city of Chemnitz. Customers include companies in the classic industrial sector, transport industry, aviation, medical technology and luxury goods.