E-Stop position(wiring)
Guys, I see people place e-stop after the driver board and PSU, is that the go?
To me it makes more sense to place it directly after Mains, before PSU and board so when you kill it it kills everything. Or is that going to damage some components?
Tried researching but there are so many opinions that vary depending what machine they are talking about.
I’ve heard that some boards have software stop, where if e-stop is after board it will send a signal to board to stop and board will pause/stop the components so you can resume afterwards.
I like the idea of an E-Stop and a Soft-Stop with the E being after the mains and the soft being after the board (with the signal to the board to pause). I don’t have this setup but I think it would would well. Pause/Resume & Full Stop.
If you want a true e-stop or Emergency Stop - Category 0, by law, requires that the device with inertia or stored energy must have that source of energy disconnected.
Now, at your house this doesn’t much matter but if you bring this machine to work, all of a sudden jurisdiction changes. And be careful, if you make something look like an e-stop but function like a P-STOP (please stop) then you can have a lot of legal liability.
But you also have to look at intentions, I put the e-stop between mains and psu because I wanted all power to be removed from everything. This is because my intention was that the e-stop should rectify any issue that the machine would be having.
I have extensive experience with OSHA and legal frameworks as I worked in manufacturing and controls engineering.
Hey @Jace_Richardson , can you read the panel tags? I can’t see what the other buttons are for… or is this just a generic panel?
haha nm i didn’t even look at the url. I recommend you put the e-stop on a mobile pendant since you need to move around the machine as the operator.
I recommend something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/ALLEN-BRADLEY-800T-FX16-EMERGENCY-STOP-HOFFMAN-ENCOLSURE-E1PBGSS-/121933152209?hash=item1c63c83fd1:g:ypYAAOSwFNZWykso
With an extension cord (flexible) wiring.
Just a generic panel. I would use the “STOP” on that panel as the P-STOP and the E-STOP. Something like a crane controller would be good but I like the mounted option because I’m not often 100% watching the machine.
http://foundrymag.com/site-files/foundrymag.com/files/imagecache/medium_img/uploads/2013/08/fmt0813schmersalmodularstop.jpg
Yeah, those are nice, but can be pricey. Well at least when you buy where Industrial Controls are sold for big projects at work.
I got a quote from a Chinese manufacturer not too long ago to make a custom light wall that I was going to work into the machine. This way if you reach into the area while the safety switch is in “enabled” or whatever - the machine would immediately stop.
I am looking for a way I can feel comfortable walking away from the machine while it is running.
(oh it wasn’t too bad - like $400 to cover all 5 sides - i think)
What about just putting it in an enclosure with a door sensor?
Not as cool. Plus I was worried that the glass would amplify the noise. In addition, I think the cost would be about the same.
Thanks guys, as I said it always made sense to me to place estop before PSU. Now that experts agree I’m doing it.
To me ‘soft stop/pause’ is as same as posing stop/pause in Mach 3.
I don’t think I have enough space in my tiny garage to have a mobile pedestal 
I already have to park my car outside 
