Non-contact safety systems are interlocking devices which are designed to protect people and machines. Compared with electromechanical safety switches, they are used if:
- a high level of protection against tampering must be achieved - extremely hygienic environmental conditions are required (e.g. in the food industry) - a precise door guide is not possible, - machine doors are subjected to heavy vibration - a high category according to EN 954-1 is stipulated during the risk analysis
Safety switches have the task of preventing the operation of a machine in the case of a hazardous situation. For this purpose the safety circuit must be opened by the safety switch. Safety switches are therefore key elements of an interlocking device.
Enabling switches are manually operated control devices that, together with other control switches, enable commands related to potentially hazardous conditions to be run, as long as the enabling switches are actuated continuously.
