The Client and the Challenge

For a major manufacturing company with which it has worked for more than 20 years, operating in the automotive sector and specializing in the manufacture of thermostat housing, DeD designed and commissioned a new advanced automated line in 2022. The client’s goal was to increase production efficiency while maintaining high quality standards and integrating a safety system capable of ensuring operational continuity even in the event of localized interventions.

The main challenge was to create a modern, high-performance line equipped with modular, intelligent safety systems that could handle the complexity of the process without compromising productivity.

Zone 2 – Automatic Assembly: Here, automatic assembly of various components such as springs, sleepers, bulbs, seals, sensors and forks, fed through vibrators, takes place. Quality control is integrated into the process. Any jamming of a component does not stop the entire line, but only the affected portion, ensuring continuity of the production cycle;

Zone 3 – Testing and Marking: In this phase, pneumatic tightness, electrical tightness, continuity check and leakage check are carried out. Conforming components are laser-marked to ensure traceability;

Zone 4 – Sorting: The system performs automatic sorting between conforming and rejected components, with the possibility of categorizing the reason for rejection (electrical defects, incorrect assembly, testing errors, etc.);

Zone 5 – Final Check and Packing: The operator performs a final check, reads the Data Matrix, verifies the presence of all expected components, and applies protective caps. The products are then ready for shipment.

Each zone is designed to operate independently: in the event of a malfunction or need for maintenance at a specific point, only the affected zone can be stopped, without affecting the entire process. Each of these is served by an AHU (air handling unit) that supplies pneumatic power to the workstations. All local AHUs are managed by a central AHU located in the main switchboard that filters and distributes air at 6 bar constantly.

For the needs expressed by the customer and set out in the next section, it is important to note that each station is protected by the following safety devices:

• E-stop: has the purpose of determining machine stop (stop in category 0) and disconnection of pneumatic power. Requires operator intervention to reset;
• Fixed guards: prevent access to moving elements during normal operation and those to which access is occasional for maintenance operations only. They are attached to the machine structure by screws that require the use of tools for disassembly;
• Interlocking movable guards: attached by hinges and provided with handles to facilitate their opening. They are associated with electromagnetic microswitches that prevent them from being opened when the machine is running;
• Safety light curtains: they protect dangerous areas by creating an intangible barrier that is activated when the machining cycle starts and, if intercepted by the operator, immediately stop the moving elements of the machine.

This architecture enables selective and secure management of downtime and recovery operations.

The Safety needs

Due to the complexity and modularity of the line, DeD has precisely defined the safety requirements:

• Independent management of the five zones, without total stops in case of localized interventions;
• Timely control of all safety devices, including emergency pushbuttons, microswitches, interlocks, safety light curtains;
• Intelligent pneumatic and electrical sectioning for each zone, including electrical axis control;
• Future expandability, with safety I/O already prepared for new locations.
• Optimization of wiring and simplification of programming through a centralized safety platform.

Each zone required at least:

• 4 dedicated safety inputs
• Outputs for managing STOs, barriers and guards
• Modules for local signal collection and diagnostics
• Outputs dedicated to managing robots in zones 1 and 2

The ReeR Solution: MOSAIC Modular Safety System

ReeR Safety’s MOSAIC modular platform proved to be the ideal solution to meet the project’s safety needs. At the core of the safety architecture is the MOSAIC M1S COM module, which is equipped with:

• 8 digital inputs
• OSSD outputs (2 pairs)
• 4 test outputs
• 2 RJ45 ports for communication with the main fieldbuses (EtherCAT, PROFINET, Modbus TCP, Ethernet IP)

Additional Modules for a Distributed Control

MI16 e MI8: for collecting safety signals (emergency buttons, barriers, interlocks);

MO4: for managing OSSD outputs to actuators, valves or disconnect switches;

MCT1 e MCT2: for remote communication with local boxes via MSC bus.

This configuration allows safe and independent management of each zone. Each local unit communicates with the central module, allowing selective shutdown of individual areas and timely diagnostics. In the event of an intervention, operators can operate safely without compromising the entire line.