Pilz Gmbh & Co Kg.

Roland Leibfarth

Mark Hufnagel

A machine has a first machine part and a second machine part. The first machine part carries out a working movement towards the second machine part in order to machine a workpiece. The first machine part has a leading edge, which defines a movement plane in the course of the working movement. For safeguarding the machine, a plurality of images including spatially resolved representations of the edge, at least a part of the workpiece, and a protective region defined between the edge and the second machine part are acquired. A motion speed of the first machine part relative to the second machine part is determined on the basis of the plurality of images. The motion speed is compared to a reference speed value or speed profile, defining a nominal speed of the first machine part relative to the second machine part during the working movement and an acceptable tolerance interval. The working movement is stopped if the motion speed deviates from the reference speed beyond the tolerance interval.

Safety device and method for monitoring a machine

A safety device for a machine, in which machine a first machine part having a leading edge performs a working movement towards a second machine part, comprises a plurality of optical safety barriers and an evaluation unit. The optical safety barriers move in the working movement simultaneously with the first machine part in such a manner that the safety barriers move in advance of the leading edge at various spaced dispositions. The optical safety barriers span a protective field that has a two-dimensional cross section. The evaluation unit is designed for generating a stop signal to stop the first machine part in dependence upon the optical safety barriers. Towards the end of the working movement, the optical safety barriers are held substantially stationary in the region of the second machine part. The optical safety barriers are deactivated one following the other before they are interrupted by the first machine part.

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Ostfildern, Germany

Roland Leibfarth