A type of safety switch, the primary function of a disconnect switch is to interrupt the power to an electrical circuit or circuits. Most of the current Rockwell Automation® visible-blade disconnect switches will be discontinued on May 31, 2019, including 1494V, 1494C, and 1494F.
There is a misconception that only large companies can afford to automate. In my opinion, small and midsize companies can’t afford not to. Automation isn’t one thing, and it does not have to encompass everything or be a big, disruptive project. It’s ok to start small and grow into automation.
Whether it’s your alarm clock or your cell phone, it seems we’re constantly annunciated. Manufacturing annunciation is yet another layer. Differentiating the importance of each alert in the cacophony of noises is increasingly difficult. When it comes to safety, the challenge is breaking through.
While STO is great for ensuring motors don’t become energized, a newer function called safe stop is used to bring high-inertia loads to a more controlled stop. There are two options: safe stop 1 (SS1) and safe stop 2 (SS2). Both work in the same manner but differ once the motor is at a standstill.