The Italian ACMI SpA specializes in the production of state-of-the-art filling and packaging systems and the reference list reads like the who's who of the internationally important food and beverage groups. With the "AZM400" pin tumbler, Schmersal Italia has developed a safety solution for the film packaging machine of the "Fenix" series. 

Founded in the province of Parma (in Riccò), 1984 initially produced palletizers and depalletizers, but continuously expanded its product range over time. Today, the company based in Fornovo Taro produces complete turnkey plants and has built an excellent reputation as a provider of innovative high-tech solutions.

Also innovative are the film packaging machines of the Fenix ​​series. They package several units of a product using shrink wrap or appropriate trays. The products packed in this way each form a container, which is then further processed with palletizers. Four different solutions are available for the packaging process: use of shrink film, use of pads in conjunction with shrink film, use of trays or use of trays in conjunction with shrink film. Depending on the application, the optimal method is selected from these four possible solutions. With the Fenix ​​shrink film line, containers for the beverage and food industry can be packed in any design, such as beverage cans, glasses or PET bottles in any shape and size.

Automated security solution wanted

The Fenix ​​system is protected by two large, transparent sliding doors per side, which were originally closed by means of a mechanical device. During the development phase of the machine, there was no robust electromechanical locking system available that would have made it possible to lock the two doors in a single step. Especially with regard to the trend towards Industrie 4.0, the machine manufacturer wanted an automated solution for these safety doors, which also enables a higher level of safety. The aim was to achieve the highest performance level PL e. The performance level PL is determined as part of the risk assessment according to EN ISO 13849-1 and divided into five levels, depending on the risk situation, from PL "a" (low) to PL "e" (high). An automated solution was also desirable because the Fenix ​​system operates at a very high level of efficiency, to which, among other things, the automatic film change contributes.

Specially designed for large safety doors

Schmersal Italia was able to offer the right solution for this task: The Schmersal Group developed the new AZM 400 solenoid interlock especially for large safety doors and launched it on the market in 2015. This guard locking locks and unlocks absolutely reliably even under unfavorable conditions and thus guarantees a high level of safety and machine availability.

In the compact housing of the AZM400 there is an electromotive operated and "intelligent" locking pin, which communicates with the actuator. He dives into the locking opening of the actuator and thus holds the door safely - with a previously unattained locking force of 10 kN. Once the locking pin has reached a sufficient immersion depth in the opening, the release takes place - the protective device is then considered safe. By a magnetic field detection, the sufficient coverage of the locking pin is monitored in the locking hole of the actuator.

In addition, a safety-technically enhanced RFID sensor is integrated in the guard locking housing. In communication with the RFID tag in the actuator, it monitors the correct position of the protective door and allows the locking pin to be extended. This secure RFID technology creates, among other things, the prerequisite that the user can choose between three types of coding and thus determine the appropriate level of protection against manipulation. The AZM400 thus also meets the highest safety requirements according to ISO 14119.

The safety locking mechanism achieves a high level of safety for both the locking and locking functions of PL e and Cat. 4 according to DIN EN ISO 13849-1 as well as SIL 3 according to IEC 61508. The high safety level for the locking function is achieved, inter alia, due to the two-channel unlocking signal. This ensures that z. B. unintentionally unlocked by the occurrence of a cross-circuit and access to a danger zone is possible.

High level of security and plant availability

The AZM400 not only guarantees a high level of safety, but also a smooth process flow and thus high plant availability. An example: Guard doors are often damped at the stop, so that they spring back slightly after closing. The result: The locking pin no longer sits centrally in the locking opening of the actuator and must then overcome lateral forces. If these lateral forces can not be overcome, the protective door will not open - with corresponding delays in the production process. For the AZM400 no problem: It allows unlocking against a lateral force of up to 300 N. In addition, the electronics allows in connection with the sensor numerous additional functions such as the detection of error conditions: reaches the locking pin in the first attempt of locking not the state "locked" , he does a second attempt himself. Only if this also fails, the AZM400 reports a fault. This reduces the number of fault messages and at the same time protects the device against damage.

Thanks to close cooperation between the electrical engineering departments at ACMI and Schmersal Italia, it was possible to integrate the new door locking system into the Fenix ​​system. The challenge to automate the locking system and to achieve the highest safety standard according to DIN EN ISO 13849-1 was successfully mastered.

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