I’ve worked with the safety system team at Rockwell Automation for many years. We’ve done a couple of podcast interviews that were among my most downloaded. This one on Safety Maturity Index and this one on Safety Automation Builder. Below are details of a new machine safety program.
To help manufacturers identify best-in-class safety system integrators – with current safety standards expertise, a proven track record in building safety systems, and knowledge of productivity-enhancing safety technologies – Rockwell Automation has created the Machinery Safety System Integrator program.
“A recent Aberdeen report found best-in-class organizations are 81 percent more likely than low performing organizations to leverage outside services to design and install compliant machinery safety solutions,” said Mark Eitzman, manager of safety market development, Rockwell Automation. “The challenge comes in finding and vetting the most capable provider for the job. Rockwell Automation created the Machinery Safety System Integrator program to ease that process and connect manufacturers to machinery safety system integrators they can trust.”
Program candidates must meet stringent requirements and complete a rigorous, months-long assessment and education process. Only existing Rockwell Automation Solution Partners or Recognized System Integrators can qualify for the program. Candidates must have three to five years of demonstrated machinery safety experience. Rockwell Automation recognizes third-party certification from industry-accepted organizations, such as TÜV or exida.
Upon meeting these initial requirements, Rockwell Automation machinery safety experts conduct a candidate assessment to determine if additional training or experience is required. The candidate’s safety engineers must then complete training modules on topics, such as global safety standards, safety risk assessment practices, and different types of safeguarding applications. Lastly, the candidate must submit a machinery safety project to ensure it demonstrates methods consistent with global standards.
The collaborative nature between Rockwell Automation and its Machinery Safety System Integrators allows for seamless assessment, design, mitigation and validation of machinery safety systems. And as members of the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program, these companies also commit to an active and extensive relationship with Rockwell Automation to provide the most productive and cost-effective automation solutions to their customers.
Twenty companies have joined the Machinery Safety System Integrator program in the following countries:
- Belgium: DC Engineering (Langemark-Poelkapelle), Egemin Automation (Zwijndrecht)
- Columbia: TREETEK SAS (Cali)
- Denmark: 3Tech Automation (Fredericia)
- England: AND Automation (Ilkeston), Bilfinger Industrial Automation Services (Chesterfield, Derbyshire), Newfield Automation (Congleton), Westbury Control Systems (Leicester)
- Germany: Gundlack Automation GmbH (Verden)
- Mexico: Advanced Machine Control SAPI de CV (AMCO) (Cuautitlán, Izcalli), IDTec Automatización (Guadalupe, Nuevo León), Target Robotics (San Luis Potosi)
- Netherlands: Egemin Automation (Gorinchem)
- Scotland: H&G Systems (Broxburn)
- Spain: Sistrol (Madrid)
- United States: Automation Solutions of America (Beloit, Wisconsin), Barry-Wehmiller Design Group (St. Louis, Missouri), E-Technologies Group (West Chester, Ohio), Polytron (Duluth, Georgia), TBD Solutions (Ogden, Utah)
