Machine Safeguarding Solutions

The Machine Safeguarding Solutions market research study delivers current market analysis plus a five year market and technology forecast. The study is available in multiple editions including worldwide and all regions.

This report covers the worldwide market of suppliers of machine safeguarding components and services specifically used in industrial manufacturing.  Machine safeguarding solutions are comprised of components segmented into the following product categories: safety PLC, modular configurable relays, safe drives, safety relays, light curtains, laser scanners, safety edges, safety mats, operator interface, and safety interlocks.

Smart Machine Safety Solutions Enhance Machine Uptime and Productivity  

ARC Advisory Group research on the Machine Safeguarding Solutions market reveals that smart machine safety solutions provide valuable insights about machine operations, thereby improving productivity and efficiency. Smart safety solutions take advantage of digital technology and network connectivity to provide rich data that can optimize performance. These solutions provide visibility into machine operations and diagnostic information such as identifying safety related failures and standard operating procedures that are met by workers, eliminating unscheduled downtime, and enhancing productivity and profitability.

Machine Safeguarding Strategic Issues

In addition to providing a five-year market forecast, the machine safeguarding solutions market research provides detailed quantitative current market data and addresses key strategic issues as follows.

Utilize the Operational Benefits of Drive-integrated Safety    

As machine builders continue to integrate more automated subsystems for either material handling or automated changeover, the trend is to not simply isolate the workspace from the operator. In contrast, machine builders now utilize safety solutions that allow operators to work more effectively within the work envelope of the machine. Current safety standards allow configurable safety systems to be integrated directly into servo drives.

This embedded functionality makes it possible for machine builders to incorporate safety strategies that improve operator productivity. With safe drives, safety solutions become less complex with far fewer cables and connections, resulting in reduced design, commissioning, and installation costs.

Identify Risk Assessment Opportunities for Productivity Improvements    

Companies should have risk assessment performed by a certified professional to identify high-risk areas. Manufacturers no longer have to search for independent consultants for risk assessment services. Many machine safeguarding suppliers now offer risk assessment services by experienced safety professionals. When evaluating new machine safeguarding solutions in this rapidly evolving market, be sure to consider the potential productivity improvements and other business benefits in addition to the more obvious worker safety benefits.

Depending upon the conclusion of the risk assessment, there are many alternatives to consider when selecting safeguarding components. Many innovations in machine safeguarding products are targeted at improving productivity in a safe working environment. These include non-contact safety interlocking, solid-state safety relays, and safety PLCs.

Recognize Increasing Importance of Functional Safety    

Increasingly, electrical, electronic, or programmable electronic systems perform safety functions. These systems are usually complex, making it impossible, in practice, to determine fully every failure mode or to test all possible behaviors. While it is difficult to predict the safety performance, testing is still essential. 

An effective safeguarding strategy evaluates equipment from a task-oriented perspective (i.e., how does the operator interact with the machinery?) and incorporates safety functions that effectively minimize the risk of operator injury to an acceptable level. This functional approach lends itself to an integrated system solution that relies on intelligent automation components that shut down systems and subsystems rapidly enough to prevent injury.