AMS Controls has announced the availability of a new optical folding machine safety system created by Lazer Safe. This system, the LS-FM, is compatible with AMS Controls' Pathfinder Folding Machine Controls on both new and retrofit installations. AMS Controls is the exclusive provider of the LS-FM in North America.
"Material clamping operation of a sheet metal folding machine represents significant risk of injury to the machine operator," said a company spokesperson. "Until now, the majority of machines were being operated without any or very little protection to the clamp area, and this is mainly due to the fact that there have not been adequate protective devices available to the industry. The traditional method for safeguarding the clamp operation is for the machine controller to force a safety stop on every clamping operation. The idea behind this is that it gives the operator a second chance if his or her fingers or hands are inside the clamping area. However, with this minimal level of protection, many accidents occur, and this can result in serious injury."
To address this need for protection, Lazer Safe developed a safety platform for folding machines that provides optical protection along the clamping area plus automatically monitors the clamp motion, stopping performance and speed to ensure safety. The LS-FM system employs a laser transmitter and receiver to guard the entire length of the clamping area so that an operator's fingers and hands will be detected by the system. "In providing this protection, the traditional safety stop can be eliminated, and this speeds up machine operation," said the spokesperson. "The system can still force a safety stop in certain operating situations or can be selected for added protection. For hemming operations, the system has a hemming mode that can be used to automatically blank sections of the protective laser field so these parts can still be formed safely and with minimal impact on machine productivity."
In addition to the clamp protection and monitoring functions, the system can also monitor emergency stop buttons, light curtains, gate interlocks, safety mats and any other safety-related components of the machine, thereby providing a complete safety platform. More product details may be found online at www.amscontrols.com/products/controls/pathfinder/ls-fm.
For more information contact:
AMS Controls
12180 Prichard Farm Rd.
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
800-334-5213 / 314-344-3144
sales@amscontrols.com
www.amscontrols.com
www.lazersafena.com