E-Stop design and manufacture: a White Paper
06 October 2010
EAO Switch Corporation has released a white paper on emergency stop switches. This comprehensive overview of the technical requirements for E-Stop design and manufacture includes the definition of an E-Stop by international standards, safety requirements, design considerations (current and future), existing and changing industry standards, and selection criteria for choosing the right E-Stop for a given application. Applications covered include medical diagnostic, semiconductor machinery, and motion control.
Featured in the white paper are the recommended criteria for E-Stop selection regarding your application, including positioning, size, mechanical and electrical specifications, ergonomics, colour/legends, and required number of E-Stops. EAO chief technology officer, Godert DeJager explains the background to the publication:
“Customers frequently ask what stop switch they should use. The answer is, it depends. Product developers must have a thorough knowledge of E-stop fundamentals, switch characteristics, and the international standards that apply to their industry. Not all stop switches and E-stops are the same, and different industries have different requirements. It’s important to know your industry.” Other considerations are heavy usage, footprint, and behind-panel depth.
The paper also highlights EAO’s knowledge of US domestic and international standards applicable to E-Stop design. Most EAO E-Stop switches are RoHS and REACH compliant, meet both UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and cUL (Canadian UL) requirements, and are certified by TÜV (Germany), SEV (Switzerland) and CE (European Union) approval agencies. They also meet a variety of ISO and IEC standards.
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