New ABB Jokab Programmable Safety Controller Features Hot-swap Capabilities

The ABB Jokab Safety™ Pluto™ programmable safety controller features an advanced design that enables hot swapping for replacement with just the removal of the old terminal caps and a push of a button.

• In addition to being able to hot swap an old Pluto unit for a new one with little more than the removal and replacement of terminal caps, the replacement Pluto can reload the program within seconds with the push of a button. These features are available in network, stand-alone, AS-i and analog versions.
• The Jokab Safety Pluto programmable safety controller supports traditional dual-channel and ABB DYNlink dynamic-pulse architectures.

“Dual-channel architecture has been the way machine safety has been done in the industry for at least 40 years,” said Darrell Burkeen, product marketing engineer for ABB Jokab Safety Products. “Two redundant channels ensure that if there is an error in one channel, the safety controller would recognize there is a problem and shut down the machine, but dual-channel architecture requires two inputs on the controller and two outputs from each field device for each safety circuit. ABB DYNlink dynamic-pulse architecture requires only one input and one output, which reduces the wiring points by almost half.”

ABB DYNlink dynamic-pulse, single-channel Jokab Safety Pluto safety architecture, if wired correctly, maintains a Performance Level e, Category 4 (PL e, Cat. 4), pursuant to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Standard EN ISO 13849-1, for up to 10 devices on the same input circuit for the Pluto programmable safety controller. The Pluto can also work with traditional dual-channel safety devices.
Additional features of the DYNlink system include advanced diagnostics that allow quick identification of the error’s location with a solid red LED, while all downstream devices will flash red and green. Upstream devices will remain solid green.

With the introduction of StatusBus functionality, the Pluto programmable safety controller can now take the advanced diagnostics from a StatusBus-enabled device and transmit the status information to a process control system, such as human/machine interface (HMI). Information that is critical to many maintenance operations can help keep machine downtime to a minimum. A total of 120 StatusBus devices can be connected to a single Pluto unit.

Pluto Manager software is used to program the Jokab Safety Pluto in Ladder Logic with function blocks. Easily programmed, Pluto Manager software nevertheless will program up to 32 Pluto units in a single network. Available at ABB’s website for download, Pluto Manager software is free of charge. Telephone support for Pluto Manager is also free of charge.

All safety functions, diagnostics, conditions and memory bits can be communicated to the machine control PLC through gateways. Common communication protocols include EtherNET/IP, EtherCAT, DeviceNET, Modbus TCP, PROFIBUS DP, PROFINET, CANopen and SERCOS III.

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