If you’ve been hearing more about safety, you’re not alone. Across the manufacturing world and certainly in the world of e-commerce, safety has been an increasingly important issue.

The area of networking and communications is no different. In particular, networks for motion control, like Sercos, are responding to the growing concern for safety.

At the upcoming SPS IPC Drives show in Nuremberg, Germany, one focus will be on safety. Sercos International as well as other motion and automation companies will debut new safety products and features, including ones focusing on CIP Safety on Sercos.

Specifically, CIP Safety on Sercos is a function-specific profile used to transfer safety-related data on Sercos III. CIP Safety on Sercos is based on the ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendors Association) CIP Safety safety protocol and provides for safe data transmission over Sercos III up to SIL 3 (Safety Integrity Level) according to IEC 61508.

No additional safety bus is required, as the safety information is sent in addition to the standard data on the Sercos network. The combination of drives, I/O, peripheral devices, safety bus and standard Ethernet in a single network simplifies handling and reduces hardware and installation costs, making it easier to deploy integrated safety controllers.

With CIP Safety on Sercos, data is sent on the same medium using the same connections as standard communication. The function of the cross-media CIP Safety protocol is performed by the end units, making it possible to simultaneously operate standard and safety devices in the same network.

In addition, Bosch Rexroth will highlight some additions to its product line focusing on safety. To simplify the development of complex machines, Rexroth is integrating safety technology into the Sercos automation network. The SafeLogic and SafeLogic Compact controls cover all complexity levels of safety-based automation in connection with Rexroth’s drive-integrated SafeMotion functions. The user can simply program standard and safety functions in the same engineering environment.

A demo at the show will illustrates Bosch Rexroth’s cross-technology solutions for metal-cutting machine tools. The IndraMotion MTX open CNC platform is the basis for the machine’s high performance and flexibility. With Sercos, all real-time communication requirements are handled in the machine. The Sercos real-time Ethernet bus is used with the IndraDrive drives and I/O modules and provides reliable communication with the SafeLogic compact. Energy-saving hydraulics (variable speed pump drives) and precise linear technology components (with integrated measuring system) complete the range.