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Flexible relay simplifies safety for up to five zones
Published:  06 May, 2014

Rockwell Automation claims that its latest safety relay will allow machine-builders to implement safety functions easily, while improving productivity. The Allen-Bradley Guardmaster 440C CR30, which complies with PLe and SIL 3, is aimed at applications requiring four to nine safety circuits and control of up to five zones.

The relay has 22 built-in safety I/O points, including six configurable I/O, and can be expanded using two Micro800 plug-in modules to add 16 more standard I/O, saving the safety I/O for safety applications. The relay can be used with various standard control platforms, allowing the safety control set-up to remain the same, even if the standard controller changes.

Users can program the relay using Rockwell’s free Connected Components Workbench software, which cuts programming time and allows them to create, control and monitor safety systems in the same environment as their standard controls.

The software’s graphical interface and drag-and-drop capabilities help to guide users through the process of selecting certified safety function blocks for the relay. Once programmed, the relay can communicate diagnostic data to Allen Bradley Micro800 or CompactLogix controllers, or to PanelView HMIs, via an embedded Modbus interface.

Rockwell's Guardmaster safety relay has 22 built-in safety I/O, six of which are configurable

Users can monitor, troubleshoot and modify their applications, including performing partial or conditioned shutdowns, if necessary. Five status and 16 user-configurable LEDs on the relay’s faceplate provide local diagnostics.