Thermoforming within the safe zone

Senoplast Klepsch manufactures plastic semi-finished products for a range of different applications. A core business area for the Austrian company Senoplast Klepsch is the manufacture of co-extruded senosan® plastic sheets and films for thermoforming. For a smooth-running deep drawing process Senoplast Klepsch relies on the safe radar system PSENradar, which in this case safeguards the production process in an “unorthodox” manner. The focus in production is among other things on quality and safety: the safe radar system was incorporated into the existing controller on the forming machine in order to protect human and machine.

In principle the sensor detects when the danger zone is accessed and initiates a safe state on the machine. In this case, however, the sensor's task is different: to monitor the area in front of the machine and ensure that the operator does not leave it. It is absolutely essential to monitor the deep drawing process to guarantee immediate intervention if a malfunction occurs. If the system detects no movement for a predefined time, the heat for the deep drawing plant is deactivated and the forming process is ended automatically. The parameters and radar system settings were easy to manage using the dedicated software PSENradar Configurator.

• Radar system is insensitive to external influences (such as heat), so enabling safe protection zone monitoring
• Flexible application of the radar system: both as a warning zone for approaching objects and as a warning instance when the warning zone is left without permission
• Existing plant and machinery can be converted safely and economically

The Austrian company Senoplast Klepsch & Co. GmbH is technology leader in the highly complex manufacture of plastic sheets and films for the widest range of applications from automotive to the furniture industry. The innovative company was founded in 1956 and, with production sites in Austria, Mexico and China, now supplies around 60 countries worldwide.