PCS - Preventive Contact System
| Product type | Safety device for panel saws |
|---|---|
| Owner | Felder Group |
| Produced by | Felder Group |
| Introduced | 2019 |
| Markets | Global |
| Website | www.felder-group.com/en-gb/pcs |
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Preventive Contact System (PCS) is a contactless and damage-free safety device for panel saws developed by the machine construction company Felder Group in Austria. It involves the system detecting human tissue in the risk area of the circular saw blade and lowering the blade below the machine table in just a few milliseconds, without damaging the saw blade or the machine. PCS was presented at the LIGNA woodworking exhibition in 2019 and its functions were demonstrated during real operations..[1]
Background[edit]
Working with circular saws is by far the most common cause of hand injuries in carpentry. Each year, thousands of woodworkers around the globe are cut on saws, while in Germany alone, almost 5000 workplace accidents are registered from operating circular table saws[2]
Development[edit]
Since 2015, the Research and Development department of Felder Group has been developing a completely new type of safety technology. This soon led to a cooperative project with TU Wien university of technology.[3] The development was supported by the EU's IGJ/ERDF programme.[4]
Technology and functionality[edit]
PCS uses the saw blade as a sensor and works with any conventional saw blade, regardless of the number or shape of the teeth. When developing the sensor system, it was crucial to ensure a perfectly safe, contact-free distinction between human tissue and the material to be cut. One significant factor in this is the speed with which the hand approaches the saw blade. This involves electrical capacitive changes around the saw blade being measured. Human tissue has different capacitive properties to wood or similar materials. (For example, when a hand approaches the saw blade, the capacitive signal changes.) PCS evaluates this signal change early at a safe distance from the saw blade and can clearly distinguish between tissue and material. Depending on the speed of approach, the system will be triggered earlier or later. This always ensures that the system is triggered before any cutting occurs.
The challenge for the actuator technology was allowing and simultaneously ensuring extremely short reaction times so that the system can be used again immediately without causing damage. As such, after an emergency stop, the user can continue working immediately without requiring maintenance or adjustment work. The PCS is triggered by the electromagnetic repulsion principle. The tool (saw blade) including the circular saw shaft and drive are held in place with two permanent magnets. If a danger is detected and the command is given for release, the permanent magnets are electrically reversed with a very high current pulse. This creates a tremendous repulsion force, which shoots the tool under the machine table and out of the danger zone
with a multiple gravitational acceleration. Before impact in its lower final position, the entire unit is decelerated via absorbers and the whole kinetic energy is removed. As a result, neither machine components nor the tool are damaged when triggered. Functionality is only ensured with electrically insulated materials. If electrically conductive materials (e.g. metals, electrically conductive coatings, extremely wet wood) are processed, PCS must be deactivated.
Patents[edit]
Both the sensor technology and the actuator technology have been patented worldwide.
Unique selling point[edit]
PCS sets itself apart from other safety devices for panel saws (e.g. SawStop, etc.) by being 100% contact-free and therefore avoiding all injuries. Plus, at the touch of a button, it can be put back into use immediately without damaging the machine or the saw blade.
Sales[edit]
PCS has been available since the second quarter of 2020 exclusively for the Format4 panel saw kappa 550 by Felder Group. Plans are in place for a gradual broadening to other smaller models.
References[edit]
- ↑ Felder Group TV (2019-09-11). "PCS Preventive Contact System Kreissäge Sicherheit" (in Deutsch). Felder KG.
- ↑ "Statistik Arbeitsunfallgeschehen 2018" (PDF). DGUV (in Deutsch). November 2019.
- ↑ Thomas Weiler (2019-07-18). "Neue Kreissäge vermeidet Verletzungen" (in Deutsch). Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Photonische Technologien, TU Wien.
- ↑ Geschäftsstelle der Österreichischen Raumordnungskonferenz (2021-02-02). "EIN PATENT GEGEN SCHNITTWUNDEN" (in Deutsch). Geschäftsstelle der Österreichischen Raumordnungskonferenz.
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