Controlling remote automation remotely
- Thread starter automaker
- Start date
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ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Legal... probably.
Safe, not likely. Are there ever any employees at the location?
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
It is hard to know exactly what you mean. It can be done safely but requires some upfront thought
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Some this automation has long been remote for at least portions of an operation. Yes maybe commands are issued on same premises but some large operations the equipment being controlled still far enough away it really doesn't matter if the command initiates in same facility or halfway around the world. The details of how the controls operate and what safety measures are considered in the control design is what is important.
Even in straight manual switches and interlocking relays control methods some things are not visible to an operator when manipulating them in some way. The more critical observation is the more likely you either move the control closer or incorporate some method of monitoring status of the item for the operator to be able to look at
Even in straight manual switches and interlocking relays control methods some things are not visible to an operator when manipulating them in some way. The more critical observation is the more likely you either move the control closer or incorporate some method of monitoring status of the item for the operator to be able to look at
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
Remote control means you are remote from that which is being controlled, so your question is kind of a moot point. How far away fromit you are is somewhat irrelevant.
There are no laws against using remote control. There ARE however laws about the safety and protection of employees. So if you want to control a process or machine from your house, and there are people there at the equipment, that's not something that should be done without a LOT of careful consideration and planning for the safety of the people. it's done all the time, but it is not something to be undertaken casually.
There are no laws against using remote control. There ARE however laws about the safety and protection of employees. So if you want to control a process or machine from your house, and there are people there at the equipment, that's not something that should be done without a LOT of careful consideration and planning for the safety of the people. it's done all the time, but it is not something to be undertaken casually.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Loads such as conveyors usually have warning signals they are about to start, and the person that initiated the sequence may or may not be in sight of the conveyor system. The same could be said about remote operation. That is why LOTO is used to prevent systems from being able to start remotely.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Some machines that are potentially dangerous to be around while running also have proximity/photo sensors and will shut down/fail to start if a person is too close. Safety rules probably also generally require some kind of barrier at the edge of said safety zone, but they still will have proximity/photo sensor should something foreign be in that space
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
Both of those scenarios fall under the "a LOT of careful consideration and planning" aspect.
I have a client who runs a roofing tile manufacturing plant and since COVID, has been doing so from home via some SCADA software I helped him with. In his plant there are still a number of workers, mostly forklift drivers and material handlers for both incoming raw materials and finished product. There are a LOT of conveyors and all of them have rope pulls in case someone falls onto one, the mixers and presses have all kinds of guards, safety relays and sensors associated with them, the kilns all have safety releases on the inside of the doors, there are cameras everywhere, etc. etc. etc. When COVID hit, he shut down for almost a month to get everything set up correctly, including training for the remaining staff, before reopening.
I have a client who runs a roofing tile manufacturing plant and since COVID, has been doing so from home via some SCADA software I helped him with. In his plant there are still a number of workers, mostly forklift drivers and material handlers for both incoming raw materials and finished product. There are a LOT of conveyors and all of them have rope pulls in case someone falls onto one, the mixers and presses have all kinds of guards, safety relays and sensors associated with them, the kilns all have safety releases on the inside of the doors, there are cameras everywhere, etc. etc. etc. When COVID hit, he shut down for almost a month to get everything set up correctly, including training for the remaining staff, before reopening.
If there was possibility of people nearby might want to install a hirn or bell that sounds for around 10 seconds.
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