Safety Systems for the AT5600
Advice on integrating the AT with and external safety system
Maintain your speed of test whilst ensuring operator safety
Safety Systems for the AT5600
The AT5600 integrates many types of testing, both traditional LCR style low voltage measurement, as well as HI-POT AC, HI-POT DC and SURGE testing to check product longevity, as well as a 270V class D supply for mains voltage testing under real conditions.
With this in mind, the rear panel of the AT5600 has been designed with a safety interlock connector.
This allows you to protect users from high voltages during test. This implements a triple redundant system for maximum user safety. This is identical to the interlock system used on the AT3600 Transformer tester.
Unless the three safety interlock signals on this connector are in the ‘safe’ condition, the tester will not run any tests.
The details of any safety system installation could vary depending on where the tester is being used.
In a robotic production line, for example, the tester could be in an enclosed area, and the safety switches could be mounted in the door.
With manual production, the safety system could be based on a physical barrier, for example, a ‘lid’ fitted with safety interlock switches.
However, the requirement to open and close such a barrier will give a slower speed of test, and often the reduced production throughput that follows from this may not be acceptable.
Below follows a brief description of some solutions for implementing your own safety system for use with the AT5600. More detail can be found in the AT5600 user manual Chapter 6, and the other user manual referred to below.
Banner Light Curtain system
For optimum safety, ease of use, and test speed, Voltech recommends the use of a safety light curtain with the AT5600.
The safety system uses an infrared light curtain as a barrier between the operator and the high voltages present on the transformer under test.
The light curtain is positioned in front of the AT5600, the light curtain barrier extends well beyond the width of the tester so that the operator is not impeded when he/she has to load and unload the transformer under test.
This can be purchased directly from Banner Engineering.
Voltech can supply an interface cable (our part # 250-030) that provides the connection from the AT Safety Interlock Port to the Banner control box ( Banner part number EZAC-R9-QE8)
Details of Banner OEM parts that you would need, and the simple installation of the Voltech 250-030 cable into it, are found in our manual for the interface cable. The Voltech cable already contains the 6k8 resistor needed for one of the "safe conditions" so just requires 6 connections to connect it to the Banner Control Box
Constructing your own Safety System
If you wish, you can construct your own system, similar to the above, or using a more mechanical system.
All the above methods must meet the 3 conditions for the interlock to be activated.
Please see AT5600 user manual
Section 6.2.2 - Overview
Section 10.3.5 - Interlock Port Description
This shows the principles of how to construct a safety system based to meet the signal conditions on the 9-way AT Safety Interlock connector.
Voltech can supply a pre-made cable suitable for integrating the AT with your own system
Part # 250-030 Safety Interlock Cable