IDEC XW1E assisted emergency stop

IDEC Corporation has added an assisted emergency stop (AE-stop) switch to its range of safety products. The XW1E adds an optional solenoid-operated activation assist function so designers can incorporate improved safety in the form of remotely commanded e-stop operation.

Traditional e-stop switches work well for fixed installations with easy access. However, modern factories, warehouses and similar sites increasingly have incorporated automated machinery and equipment, extensive robotics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and other self-driving vehicles, making e-stop buttons more difficult to access.

The AE-stop is a robust device with a compact form factor, and an IP65 and UL Type 4X (indoor) rating. It is designed and tested to withstand at least 250,000 mechanical/electrical operations. The red button top cap requires 11 N to push latched, 17 N to pull reset, or 0.27 Nm to turn reset. A set of standard 1NO2NC contacts with push-in terminals provide one monitoring contact and two main contacts suitable for integrating with a wide variety of safety circuit designs.

The AE-stop switch incorporates a 24 VDC solenoid, which when energised will drive the button into the push latched state just as if a local person did so. A remote activation signal may be generated by another safety device, an external sensor or controller, or even a wireless system or other more advanced options. It is important to note that whether a person or the solenoid push latches the AE-stop switch, the switch can only be reset locally and manually by a person.