Press retrofit is textbook

Grass GmbH, the global manufacturer of movement systems – including telescopic slides – required a safety upgrade of a complete press line for steel forming at their Salzburg plant. Where normative safety requirements are concerned, presses have a special status: so they were looking for a partner that was able to convert “slightly” older plants to state-of-the-art safety and control technology, in compliance with the standards. In Pilz Austria, the Salzburg-based company found an expert who could complete the job in textbook fashion. Today’s major players for safety are the small controller PNOZmulti 2 and the automation system PSS 4000; safe sensor technology PSEN and the control unit PITgatebox complement the package for a press line that is safe all round.

The aim was to increase the process stability of the press line when forming steel. The retrofit of the three machine parts: reel and straightener, profiling machine and automatic punching press, involved the installation of a completely new switch cabinet and control console. On the profiling machine, the focus for the safety technology upgrade was the small controller PNOZmulti 2, with modules for safe press control. The higher level automation system PSS 4000 was incorporated for the standard automation, as well as new rope pull switches and the safety switch PSENcode for position monitoring. The safety locking device PSENmlock safeguards the reel and straightener; both it and the safety gate can be managed safely via the control unit PITgatebox. Anywhere that it was necessary to retrofit barrier-free safety, existing devices were supplemented with safety light curtains PSENopt II for finger, hand and body protection. So after the conversion, the press line could be handed over production-ready.

• Increased productivity of the press line by reducing cycle times from 3.5 to 3 seconds
• Maximum safety in compliance with the standards with state-of-the-art safety and control technology in accordance with EN ISO 13849-1
• One-stop press retrofit for all plant sections on the press line

With 1,890 employees at seven production sites in Europe and America and fourteen sales offices worldwide, the Austrian Grass Group is the world’s leading expert in movement systems for the furniture industry. As a development partner and system supplier, the global player has been offering innovative products and solutions for more than 70 years, under the slogan “Moved by Grass”. The portfolio includes drawers, slides, hinges, flaps, interior accessories and opening systems, including for handle-free opening.