Design News Magazine Names Omron STI's Compact OS32C Safety Laser Scanner a 2011 "Golden Mousetrap" Finalist
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OS32C enables machine builders to build better and more streamlined equipment faster than ever before and end users to keep personnel safe and maximize productivity
FREMONT, CA - The OS32C Safety Laser Scanner from Omron Scientific Technologies Inc. has been named a 2011 Golden Mousetrap finalist by the editors of Design News magazine. The world's most compact Type 3 safety laser scanner, the OS32C is specifically engineered to deliver superior value and unprecedented versatility in both OEM and retrofit machine safety and AGV collision avoidance applications. For more than two decades, the Design News Awards Program has recognized engineering innovation and creativity in product design.
"The products highlighted in this year's Golden Mousetrap winners and finalists clearly demonstrate both cutting-edge design ideas and the practical evolution of technologies for systems and product design engineers. Design News congratulates all the engineers and their companies who have been recognized with the Golden Mousetrap Award, and we are grateful for their contribution to this year's competition," says David Greenfield, Editorial Director, Design News.
This year, Golden Mousetrap awards were given in four major categories: Electronics & Test, Automation & Control, Design Tools: Hardware & Software, and Materials & Assembly. Managing Editor Jennifer Campbell gathered a record number of entries, distributing them to Design News beat editors for judging. Based on their expertise in each technology area, 18 winners and 95 finalists were selected.
The OS32C features a 104.5 mm profile, light 1.3 kg weight and low 5 W power consumption (3.75 W in standby mode), and boasts innovative features such as highly flexible and easily configurable detection zones to simplify set-up across diverse application needs.
"In addition to being the industry's most compact safety laser scanner, the OS32C is also the first to provide integrated management via Ethernet. This helps keep machines up and running by allowing the user to check the operating state and analyze the cause of an emergency stop via LAN, and take quick corrective action, even in large-scale applications with multiple scanners," explains Sergio Aguilar, Product Manager, Omron STI. "The OS32C's status display and eight patented Individual Sector Indicators also enable users to determine at a glance the unit's operating state and error codes, and assess the direction of an intrusion."
The OS32C Safety Laser Scanner features an impressive 270° detection angle that enables a single scanner to provide presence detection, including two warning zones and one safety zone, on two sides of a machine. Its small size also means that it can even be used inside a machine.
Installed vertically, the OS32C serves as a complete intrusion detection solution. The unit's innovative Reference Boundary Monitoring function constantly monitors reference points and turns off the safety outputs when a shift in its physical position is detected. This prevents unauthorized mounting modifications to the laser scanner.
The OS32C Safety Laser Scanner is also a robust and flexible collision avoidance solution that can provide front/rear monitoring, or 270° monitoring, in AGV applications. The OS32C's light weight and compact body make it easy to install, and its low power consumption minimizes battery load. For complex AGV tracks up to 70 zone set combinations can be set, each with one safety zone of up to 3 m and two warning zones of up to 10 m. The two warning zones can be set to support various purposes, such as warning sound and speed control.
The OS32C's simplified I/O wiring method requires fewer inputs to configure multiple zones when compared with other safety laser scanners. This speeds up installation and significantly reduces the potential for wiring errors.
The unit's 80 to 680 ms response time helps prevent erroneous machine stoppages caused by environmental pollutants. Additionally, users can quickly and easily configure the safety and warning zones with the OS32C's easy to use configuration software and a PC. And because each safety laser scanner's configuration is stored in the I/O block, should the sensor ever become damaged it can quickly be replaced, with no reprogramming needed.
About Omron STI
Omron Scientific Technologies, Inc. is a North American provider of automation safeguarding products and services. Omron STI safety products and integration services are used to protect workers around machinery, automated equipment and industrial robots in a wide variety of applications and markets, including semiconductor, automotive, medical, electronics manufacturing, packaging and consumer markets.
Omron Scientific Technologies Inc., 6550 Dumbarton Circle, Fremont, CA 94555; 1-800-479-3658; (510) 608-3400; fax: (510) 744-1442; sales@sti.com; www.sti.com.
Agency Contact: Chris Nelson
612/237-4443
Company Contact: Russ Wood
800/221-7060
