Abstract: Pressure is applied to an area of a touchscreen by an operator of an industrial technical device. A value dependent on the applied pressure is generated by a sensor device associated with the area and supplied to an evaluation device. In a normal operating mode, a variable dependent on the applied pressure is transmitted by the evaluation device to a control device. The control device activates an element of the industrial technical device and outputs to the element a setpoint value dependent on the applied pressure, when the pressure defined by the transmitted variable exceeds a first threshold value. The setpoint value is a monotonously increasing function of the pressure and has the value zero until the pressure exceeds a second threshold value greater than the first threshold value.

Abstract: A switching device for a machine, installation, and/or transportation system has a touch-screen and at least one sensor element that is contained in the touch-screen and by means of which touching of the touch-screen can be registered and a corresponding signal fed out, with its being possible to effect emergency shutdown of the machine, installation, and/or transportation system by means of the switching device as a function of the at least one sensor element's signal. A method for operating a machine, installation, and/or transportation system includes the steps of touching a touch-screen, wherein the touch-screen includes at least one sensor element adapted to register said touching and to feed out a signal in response to the touching, and performing an emergency stopping and/or emergency shutdown of the machine, installation, and/or transportation system with a switching device as a function of the signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automation system (1) for executing safety-relevant automation functions. Said automation system (1) comprises one or several control componentries (10) and one or several input/output componentries (30, 30?,50) that are connected thereto. The control componentry (10) is provided with standard program parts (11, 12) and fail-safe program parts (13, 14) to communicate with the connected input/output componentries (30, 30?,50) via corresponding standard bus protocols (S) and fail-safe bus protocols (F). At least one of the input-output componentries (30) is controlled by both the standard program parts (11, 12) via the communicated standard bus protocol (S) and the fail-safe program parts (13, 14) via the communicated fail-safe bus protocol (F), said fail-safe bus protocol (F) having greater priority for said input/output componentry (30) than the standard bus protocol (S).

Abstract: The invention relates to a machine tool, a production machine and/or a maintenance machine (16), comprising an electromagnetic brake (1) provided with an electrical actuator (2) for braking a mobile machine element (11, 13), the actuator (2) generating an actuating force (FB) and acting on a frictional element (7a, 7b) in such a way as to press the same against a counter frictional element (8) in order to generate a frictional force (FB). An arrangement (17, 18) is provided between the counter frictional element (8) and the electrical actuator (2), said arrangement leading to the self-energising of the actuating force (FB) generated by the electrical actuator (2). The machine comprises a device (6) for controlling the actuator (2) in such a way that the frictional force (FB) is adjusted to a nominal quantity (FRsoll). The invention relates to a machine tool, a production machine and/or a maintenance machine comprising a reliable brake (1) with a simple structure for braking a machine element (11, 13).

Abstract: The invention relates to an actuating element (9) comprising a pushbutton (5) and a lamp (4) that surrounds the pushbutton (5). The pushbutton (5) generates a tactile feedback and the lamp (4) temporarily lights up when the pushbutton (5) is actuated. The invention creates an actuating element (9) for safely operating a machine and/or system, said actuating element (9) perceptibly providing a feedback to the user on his or her actuating the actuating element (9).

Abstract: A drive system with an electric motor is described, which includes an integrated armature short-circuit brake and a mechanical brake. If the electric motor cannot be controllably slowed down, a control signal is applied at an activation time to the integrated armature short-circuit brake and the mechanical brake, and the armature short-circuit brake is switched off when reaching a thermal load limit for the electric motor or the control electronics.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automation system (1) for executing safety-relevant automation functions. Said automation system (1) comprises one or several control componentries (10) and one or several input/output componentries (30, 30?,50) that are connected thereto. The control componentry (10) is provided with standard program parts (11, 12) and fail-safe program parts (13, 14) to communicate with the connected input/output componentries (30, 30?,50) via corresponding standard bus protocols (S) and fail-safe bus protocols (F). At least one of the input-output componentries (30) is controlled by both the standard program parts (11, 12) via the communicated standard bus protocol (S) and the fail-safe program parts (13, 14) via the communicated fail-safe bus protocol (F), said fail-safe bus protocol (F) having greater priority for said input/output componentry (30) than the standard bus protocol (S).

Abstract: A keyboard includes a plurality of key elements arranged in rows and columns in a matrix-like manner. Each key element has first and second break contacts which are decoupled for safety reasons and are commonly activated when the key element is actuated. An energy supply unit feeds to an evaluation unit electric energy serially via the first break contacts for each separate column and serially via the second break contacts for each separate row. In this way the location of the key element actuation can be reliably ascertained through column and row detection.

Abstract: A method for identifying of faulty antivalent key or switch signals of an antivalent key or switch of a control unit is described. Two antivalent signals are outputted by the key or switch, whereby the two outputted signals are recognized as being faulty if the two signals have the same logical state. In this way, faulty antivalent key or switch signals can be ready be detected. The method can also detect brief inadvertent interruptions in the signals and short circuits and ground faults. The method can be used in particular with control units used to control machine tools and production machines.

Abstract: In a method of holding a machine element, whose position is directly or indirectly controlled by an electromotive drive in the absence of a self-locking mechanism, the drive is halted and a brake is activated to maintain the machine element in a holding position, without shutting down the drive which remain active. The drive is thus a safe drive constructed to securely prevent a re-starting although an inadvertent shutdown is not preventable.

Abstract: A drive system with an electric motor is described, which includes an integrated armature short-circuit brake and a mechanical brake. If the electric motor cannot be controllably slowed down, a control signal is applied at an activation time to the integrated armature short-circuit brake and the mechanical brake, and the armature short-circuit brake is switched off when reaching a thermal load limit for the electric motor or the control electronics.

Abstract: In a method of holding a machine element, whose position is directly or indirectly controlled by an electromotive drive in the absence of a self-locking mechanism, the drive is halted and shifted into a standby mode while a brake is activated to maintain the machine element in a fixed position. As soon as a holding position of the altered and exceeds a tolerance value, the machine element is stopped by a type of catch control in which the drive is activated again to catch the machine element or load. The drive is thus a safe drive constructed to securely prevent a re-starting although an inadvertent shutdown is not preventable.

Abstract: In a method of holding a machine element, whose position is directly or indirectly controlled by an electromotive drive in the absence of a self-locking mechanism, the drive is halted and a brake is activated to maintain the machine element in a holding position, without shutting down the drive which remain active. The drive is thus a safe drive constructed to securely prevent a re-starting although an inadvertent shutdown is not preventable.

Abstract: A keyboard includes a plurality of key elements arranged in rows and columns in a matrix-like manner. Each key element has first and second break contacts which are decoupled for safety reasons and are commonly activated when the key element is actuated. An energy supply unit feeds to an evaluation unit electric energy serially via the first break contacts for each separate column and serially via the second break contacts for each separate row. In this way the location of the key element actuation can be reliably ascertained through column and row detection.

Abstract: A method for fault detection in the operation of sensors with at least two decoupled signal-transmitting elements with contacts and with a closed conductor loop includes delaying, a first test output by a defined switching delay with reespect to a second test output and evaluating the input channels in accordance with a defined expectation. Faults being inferred from deviations between actual and expected signal variations and time intervals.

Abstract: A method for fault detection in the operation of sensors with at least two decoupled signal-transmitting elements with contacts and with a closed conductor loop includes delaying, a first test output by a defined switching delay with reespect to a second test output and evaluating the input channels in accordance with a defined expectation. Faults being inferred from deviations between actual and expected signal variations and time intervals.