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Functional Safety optical encoders

Certain machinery safety functions, such as Safely Limited Speed (SLS), require the encoder feedback to be functionally safe. Utilising a Functional Safety (FS) encoder system that is already rated for use in safety-related applications can make machine certification significantly easier.

Make safer machines

Adopting advanced machine safety functions allows machine builders to make safer machines which still benefit from all the advantages of high-performance motion control with quick set-up times and reduced machine downtime. For safety critical applications, Renishaw offers a range of functionally safe position encoders certified to the following international safety standards:

  • ISO 13849 Category 3 PLd
  • IEC 61508 SIL2
  • IEC 61800-5-2 SIL2

The fundamental principles of operation are the same as those for our equivalent standard encoders, but the FS variants are designed to be easy to integrate with functional safety systems. Renishaw also provides reliability data for its Functional Safety rated readheads.

The range includes incremental open encoders and absolute open and enclosed encoders.

Incremental FS encoders

TONiC™ FS open encoder systems

The TONiC FS is a specially modified variant of the TONiC encoder series. It offers:

  • Compatibility with a range of scales:
    • Linear: RTLC stainless steel tape, RELM ZeroMet™ spar, RSLM stainless steel spar.
    • Rotary (angle): RESM stainless steel ring.

Discover TONiC encoders
TONiC™ FS optical encoder on a white platform

Absolute FS encoders

FORTiS™ FS enclosed encoder systems

The FORTiS FS is a specially modified variant of the FORTiS encoder series. It offers:

  • BiSS® Safety and Siemens DRIVE-CLiQ® serial interfaces.
  • Linear enclosed encoder technology.
Discover FORTiS encoders
FORTiS FS enclosed optical encoder on a white platform

RESOLUTE™ FS open encoder systems

The RESOLUTE FS encoder is a specially modified variant of the RESOLUTE encoder series. It offers:

  • BiSS Safety and Siemens DRIVE-CLiQ serial interfaces.
  • Compatibility with a range of scales:
    • Linear: RTLA stainless steel tape, RELA ZeroMet spar, RSLA stainless steel spar.
    • Rotary (angle): RESA stainless steel ring, REXA ultra-high accuracy stainless steel ring.

Discover RESOLUTE encoders

RESOLUTE Functional Safety (FS) absolute optical encoder on a white platform

Watch our introduction to RESOLUTE FS absolute encoders

Reliability data for Renishaw Functional Safety encoders

Renishaw provides reliability data for its Functional Safety rated TONiC FS, RESOLUTE FS and FORTiS FS readheads as a SISTEMA library, in order to assist customers with their Performance Level (PL) calculation. This enables system designers to copy that data from the library into a SISTEMA project, quickly and without any errors.

SISTEMA: Safety Integrity Software Tool for the Evaluation of Machine Applications

SISTEMA is a software tool to calculate Performance level (PL), for the implementation of EN ISO 13849-1. Provided by IFA, SISTEMA is free software and is widely recognised within the industry.

System designers and safety specialists can also download the SISTEMA software free of charge.

Our range of technical downloads go through the technical specifications for our Functional Safety (FS) encoder systems.

 

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