AMS Controls announce the availability of a new optical folding machine safety system created by Lazer Safe. This system, the LS-FM, is compatible with AMS Controls’ Pathfinder Folding Machine Controls on both new and retrofit installations. AMS Controls is the exclusive provider of the LS-FM in North America.
Material clamping operation of a sheet metal folding machine represents significant risk of injury to the machine operator. Until now, the majority of machines were being operated without any or very little protection to the clamp area and this is mainly due to the fact that there have not been any adequate protective devices available to the industry. The traditional method for safeguarding the clamp operation is for the machine controller to force a safety stop on every clamping operation.
The idea behind this is that it gives the operator a second chance if their fingers or hands are inside the clamping area. However, with this minimal level of protection, unfortunately many accidents occur and this can result in serious crushing injury and amputation.
To address this lack of protection, Lazer Safe developed the first safety platform for folding machines that provides optical protection along the clamping area plus automatically monitors the clamp motion, stopping performance, and speed to ensure maximum safety. The LS-FM system employs a laser transmitter and receiver to guard the entire length of the clamping area so that an operator’s fingers and hands will be detected by the system. In providing this protection, the traditional safety stop can be eliminated and this speeds up machine operation. The system can still force a safety stop in certain operating situations or can be selected for added protection. For hemming operations, the system has a hemming mode that can be used to automatically blank sections of the protective laser field so these parts can still be formed safely and with minimal impact on machine productivity.
In addition to the clamp protection and monitoring functions, the system can also monitor emergency stop buttons, light curtains, gate interlocks, safety mats, and any other safety-related components of the machine thereby providing a complete safety platform.
The LS-FM System was developed by Lazer Safe in cooperation with AMS Controls.
The LS-FM System is available in North America exclusively through AMS Controls as part of our folding machine controls package and is available with new controls systems or as a retrofit to machines with existing AMS controllers. For more information, visit the LS-FM product page or email us at sales@amscontrols.com.
Lazer Safe specializes in the development and worldwide sale of control, safety, and operator guarding systems for press brakes. Today, Lazer Safe is an international leader in its field with systems supplied as standard equipment by most of the world’s leading press brake manufacturers.
With over 11,000 installations in place and over 3,000 clients globally, AMS Controls sets the standard for operational efficiency in the metal forming industry. AMS Controls’ extensive line of products includes folding machine and other metal forming machine control systems and a suite of production and management integration software specifically created for the metal forming industry.
