IDEM Safety has installed its Mechanical Trapped Key Interlock system at a recycling plant in the North-West. The compacting machine on which the system has been installed demonstrates the capability and flexibility of IDEM Trapped Key safety system.
For a machine with several heavy moving parts where operative safety is crucial, the compactor required a robust and tailored solution that would enable regular safe access to the machine area. Combining Isolation and Key Exchange into a single system IDEM’s CS Range of Trapped Key Interlocks require minimal space on the machine. The Isolation Key can be used also as an access key minimising the number of keys required and streamlining the system.
How the CS-Range Trapped Key Interlock System Works
IDEM’s Skorpion Trapped Key interlock safety system’s combination of locks and coded keys enable sequential control of equipment and machinery that ensure its safe operation in three stages:
- Isolate the control circuit to STOP any hazardous processes. This is usually done on the first barrel slot however, any or all can be monitored if required.
- Once the hazardous process has stopped, release any key in sequential order.
- Access locks prevent entry to the hazardous area/s. Only when the correct coded key is presented, will entry be permitted.
- A secondary key is released from the dual key access locks and can be taken inside the hazardous area. These are known as ‘personnel keys’ and allow the user to operate safely inside the machine safely, without fear of an inadvertant start-up occuring.
Trapped Key Interlock for a Recycling Machine Application
In this case, for the recycling plant’s 4-door compactor, the IDEM Trapped Key Interlock is a two-key system where the second key can be taken inside the machine guard area, preventing another operative from inadvertently re-starting the machine.
As a purely mechanical interlock, this system works independently as a stand-alone system and requires no wiring keeping its installation for a neat and discrete that takes up minimal additional machine space.
Manufactured from mirror polished di-cast metal at IDEM’s UK manufacturing facility, the robust nature and versatility of Trapped Key Interlock made it an ideal solution for this application
