Machines are only as safe as their sensors. Many measured quantities must be recorded precisely and reliably.
TWK supplies the sensors that are required to ensure functional safety – in particular for automated transport systems. These include certified sensors for position, speed, inclination, and acceleration, as well as draw wire linear transducers and accessories. The safety specialist is also a supplier of individual solutions – electronic and mechanical, just the way you want it.
TWK keeps pace with rapid technological developments with a wide range of products. This diversity of products is not only expressed in the wide range of mechanical designs, so that every place of installation can be equipped with the most suitable sensor. This is also apparent in the functionality tailored to the use. Whether it is the right safety interface, such as CANopen Safety, Failsafe over EtherCAT or PROFIsafe. Or it’s special data processing, such as standardised positions and speeds on a slewing ring for encoders, or frequency and other data analysis for vibration sensors. All products are certified to SIL2/PLd or SIL3 with ASIL D compliance. Many products are also available with UL®, E1 type approval and ATEX explosion protection certificates.
Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs) require several measurements to operate safely. Without them, they and the entire fleet would be unable to navigate in space and move to target locations. These are speed (wheel speed) and steering angle (wheel position). Also, the lift of forks or booms must be known. These variables, in turn, influence the inclination of the truck and, where applicable, the vibrations that occur. Especially when driving with a load. TWK offers compact, precise, and reliable sensors for all types of applications.
Where space is limited, wheel position and speed encoders can be supplied in a 38mm diameter miniature version. Special adaptations are also available. For example, the CANopen Safety singleturn encoder is available with a length of only 30 mm. Resolutions up to 16 bit and speeds up to 15,000 rpm are quickly and safely transmitted to the controller via the safety interface.
Draw-wire sensors with an attached encoder are available for measuring fork or arm lift. They convert the linear stroke into a rotary motion. Depending on the model, they can detect lengths of up to 30 metres.
The SIL2/PLd certified inclinometers are equipped with a gyroscope. They provide the raw values from 6 axes of the redundant MEMS sensors in addition to the dynamically corrected tilt angle. The raw signals, especially those from the accelerometers, can be used simultaneously for monitoring the vehicle’s condition (oscillations and vibrations) or for controlling the vehicle. Filters and FFT analysis are provided for easy user evaluation of the available data. All products are from one source and ensure safe driving at all times.
