CAMLogic introduces a new fail-safe functionality on the PFG06 capacitive level indicator, designed to increase the level of safety and reliability of industrial plants.
The goal is clear: to offer customers increasingly safe, reliable instruments that comply with the most complex application requirements.
Fail-safe is intended to become a standard on some CAMLogic indicators. It is already present in the range of vibrating level indicators (GVS25, for solids and GVL30, for liquids) and is now also integrated into the PFG06, further expanding the company’s technological offering.
Let’s take a detailed look at the potential of this function and the advantages it offers.
The term fail-safe refers to a configuration designed to ensure greater safety in the event of a fault or malfunction in industrial plants.
It is designed to always put safety first: stopping the plant preventively is preferred over the risk of causing damage or accidents. If the system stops receiving power or signal, it automatically interprets this as an alarm condition.
Fail-safe is used to protect plants, machinery and the environment when a fault occurs, preventing an error from being interpreted as a normal condition.
In the case of a silo containing solid or liquid material, it depends on the risk to be prevented: overflow or complete emptying.
When the main risk is material spillage, the system is configured to react as if the silo were full in the event of an anomaly.
If the sensor stops working or loses power, the signal is interrupted and the control system immediately intervenes by stopping the filling process. This may mean stopping the pumps or closing the inlet valves.
The goal is to prevent spills and environmental damage, even at the cost of stopping the plant without an actual complete filling condition.
When, on the other hand, the issue is to prevent dry running, in the event of a fault, the system is designed to signal the need to introduce material. In this way, it maintains a sufficient level to prevent damage to the plant.
If the sensor stops working or loses power, the system immediately stops the discharge pumps or activates filling.
In this way, the equipment is protected, avoiding damage to pumps and problems in production lines.
Adopting a fail-safe logic offers several strategic advantages for any industrial plant:
The system reacts to faults in a predictable way, reducing the risk of environmental or structural damage.
It prevents serious machinery failures, prolonged shutdowns and costly maintenance operations.
It reduces the risk of spills or contamination caused by measurement errors.
Many industrial and safety standards require fail-safe behaviours in critical systems.
Fail-safe accepts the risk of a false alarm in order to eliminate the far more serious risk of a real accident.