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PROCESS Woldwide-02-2003
Innovations on the carrier rail
Installation techniques for interface components

Signals for measuring controlling, evaluating feedback and monitoring in production companies must all be preprocessed before they reach the control system. But in many areas of process automation, for example in the chemical industry, there are areas in which an explosive atmosphere must be dealt with. To ensure protection, safety and functionality, signal circuits are designed in an ignition protection class to be intrinsically safe. The function of these interface components is thus defined by the system technology. In the design, however, there is a level of freedom.
We have been familiar with devices mounted on carrier rails for more than 20 years now. Over that time, they have developed to the point where they a e equipped with plug-in terminals that can be plugged in and removed while the bus is in operation. For safety-critical applications,SIL2 and SIL3 classified devices in accordance with IEC 61508 are also available for the system operator. In parallel to carrier rail mounting, in more recent times we find also motherboard systems for which the same devices can be plugged into a mechanically sturdy circuit board. These carrier boards, which receive the individual modules, are available in various suitable mechanical arrangements. The systems are mounted on the wall, but they can also be mounted on carrier rails if the appropriate supports are available.
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