At ProMat 2025, Murrelektronik plans to showcase two ground-breaking innovations for smarter and cost-saving automation concepts in the material handling market. These automation advances are engineered to help meet demand from the material handling market for clean-in-place (CIP) capabilities and high safety performance.
The sturdy and robust MVK Fusion CIP Safety is a new fieldbus I/O module carrying IP67 ingress protection rating. Resistant to both media and vibration makes it ideal for harsh material handling applications subject
Source: Murrelektronik to CIP environments. Alongside the opportunity to standardize modular processes, MVK Fusion CIP Safety helps to expedite unique and pioneering decentral automation concepts for machinery used in the movement, storage and control of materials, goods and products throughout the manufacturing and logistics/distribution sectors.
Notably, this innovative 3-in-1 functional safety module reduces the number of fieldbus modules per modular unit, sometimes to just one, making the installation of transportation and positioning systems easier and quicker than ever before. When deployed in conjunction with a safe controller (F-PLC or CNC), users can achieve entirely safe I/O. Taking advantage of PROFINET/PROFIsafe or PROFIBUS/PROFIsafe fieldbus protocols guarantees the reliable transmission of safety-relevant data, while also meeting the requirements of ISO 13849-1 safety categories. With only a few mouse clicks, users can choose the relevant safety function (such as emergency stop button, light curtain or safety valve) in the safety controller’s engineering tool to finalize the configuration.
Also on display will be IPC-Vario-X, an advanced new control solution that includes numerous safety features. This advanced automation platform is flexible, scalable and robust, making it suitable for use in challenging material handling applications subject to CIP. Among its many safety features for material handling and logistics systems are EtherCAT Safety, which provides 16 input channels and four output channels, and an 8Ah Li-Ion battery that buffers the IPC to ensure fast start-up times. An STO signal safely switches off servo modules and actuators in an emergency, while end-to-end encryption protects data privacy and integrity in internet of things (IoT) communications.
IPC-Vario-X blends the best of IPC and PLC technology to create an open platform that can take advantage of all common network and communication protocols. Unlocking the portal to a new automation dawn where adaptability and futureproofing are paramount, IPC-Vario-X is able to function as a control and data collection unit in the immediate vicinity of the material handling system (avoiding the requirement for a complex control cabinet) or as an EDGE gateway.
Register to attend ProMat 2025, scheduled to be held March 1 through March 20 at McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois.
