Make functional safety easier to implement

Chris Cooper, global director of product management at Kollmorgen, admits that implementing functional safety in linear motors can be challenging. The company recently announced an upgrade to its SafeMotion Monitor (SMM) firmware, SMM 3.0, with more functional safety support for linear motors and linear axes. The intention is to help machine builders implement functional safety in applications ranging from semiconductor manufacturing to battery production and industrial automation.

SMM 3.0 is integrated into AKD2G servo drives and the Kollmorgen 2G Motion System and continues to work with all motors that feature any Hiperface DSL rotary-safe feedback system. It also now allows the AKD2G drive to support EnDat 2.2 safe feedback systems to meet the growing demand for high-performance safety solutions in precision motion control.

The EnDat 2.2 safe protocol provides dual independent positioning for error detection, high-speed serial data transmission for fast cycle times, integrated diagnostics with comprehensive monitoring, and flexible encoder support for incremental and absolute feedback drives. According to Cooper, the firmware update with EnDat 2.2 safe feedback support addresses the challenge of implementing functional safety in linear motors and provides machine builders with a complete safety solution without sacrificing speed and precision.

Kollmorgen’s AKM2G and AKMA servo motors also include an EnDat 2.2 safe feedback option, for even higher performance and accuracy than Hiperface DSL for axes where functional safety is required. When combined, machine builders can create a more complete, integrated motion solution for safety-related applications.

Additionally, SMM 3.0 enables complete motion systems to achieve Safety Integrity Level 3 (SIL 3) certification. While the AKD2G drive has maintained SIL 3 certification since its launch, the addition of EnDat 2.2 safe feedback support now provides a complete, matched solution capable of meeting the rigorous standard. This is especially important when operators face frequent high-risk scenarios, such as stage lifting systems and heavy material-handling equipment. Furthermore, the SIL 3 capability helps future-proof systems so they can scale as safety requirements evolve.

Kollmorgen
www.kollmorgen.com