When machinery operates in harsh, high-demand environments, safety components need to do more than simply meet the standard. They need to withstand washdown, corrosion, vibration, misalignment and repeated use — without compromising machine safety.
That is exactly where the new HLZ Heavy-Duty Guard Locking Safety Switch from IDEM has been designed to perform.
Built for engineers working in food, beverage, pharmaceutical and other demanding industrial sectors, the HLZ combines high mechanical strength with advanced safety technology in a robust stainless steel housing.
Built for Washdown, Corrosion Resistance and Heavy-Duty Use
The HLZ is manufactured from mirror-polished 316 stainless steel, making it well suited to environments where hygiene, corrosion resistance and durability are critical.
With an IP69K rating, the HLZ is designed to resist water, dust and high-pressure washdown conditions, making it a strong choice for machinery used in:
- Food processing
- Beverage production
- Pharmaceutical manufacturing
- Packaging lines
- Chemical and process industries
- Harsh or high-cleaning industrial environments
For engineers specifying safety interlocks in these sectors, the HLZ offers a combination of strength, cleanability and environmental protection.
High Locking Force for Robust Guard Protection
At the core of the HLZ is a heavy-duty locking mechanism delivering up to 10,000 N of holding force.
This makes the HLZ suitable for guarding applications where a compact, lightweight interlock may not be enough—particularly on larger access doors, robust machine guards or applications where additional mechanical strength is required.
Every HLZ purchase also includes stainless-steel blocking caps for any unused entry points, providing a clean and durable finish as standard.
The result is a safety interlock designed to help keep guards securely locked until hazardous machine movement has stopped.
Integrated RFID Safety Technology
The HLZ features an integrated high-coded RFID sensor, providing Type 4 interlocking in accordance with EN ISO 14119.
This helps support a high level of protection against tampering while enabling reliable guard position monitoring. The switch also includes OSSD safety outputs and can achieve safety levels up to:
- Category 4
- Performance Level e
- SIL 3
For engineers designing safety systems, this makes the HLZ a strong option for applications requiring advanced functional safety performance.
Designed with Installation in Mind
Practical installation matters — especially when working on heavy-duty machinery.
The HLZ includes a rotating head with three actuator entry positions, giving engineers greater flexibility during installation. A flexible actuator also provides increased tolerance to guard misalignment, helping to reduce installation challenges and improve long-term reliability.
The larger enclosure provides internal space for direct wiring, allowing installers to choose the most suitable cable type and connection method for the application. Versions are available with M20 or M12 quick-connect options.
Clear Diagnostics at a Glance
The HLZ includes four clearly visible status LEDs on the lid, providing quick indication of:
- Solenoid status
- Guard status
- Input status
- Output status
This helps engineers and maintenance teams identify machine safety conditions quickly, reducing downtime and simplifying troubleshooting.
Optional Rear Escape Release for Personnel Safety
For applications where personnel may enter a safeguarded area, the HLZ can be specified with an optional rear escape release accessory.
This provides an additional means of escape in emergency situations, supporting safer access control around larger guarded machinery and enclosed production areas.
A Strong Choice for Demanding Machine Safety Applications
The new HLZ brings together the qualities engineers often need in the most demanding safety applications: stainless steel construction, high locking force, RFID coding, IP69K protection and advanced functional safety performance.
For food, beverage, pharmaceutical and heavy-duty industrial machinery, the HLZ offers a robust guard locking solution designed to perform where reliability and safety are essential.
Find out more about the HLZ here: Visit HLZ Product Page
