Simplifying Complexity. Delivering Safety.
Specialist surface finishing systems
Working with a manufacturer of automated industrial surface preparation systems develop a hazardous area solution.
Overview & Project Brief
The client manufactures a range of robotic surface preparation systems that are used to prepare large surfaces prior to the application of special paint and coatings. Due to the requirements of a particular end-user, they needed to develop a hazardous area solution for use in a Class I Division 1 (CID1) environment.
Challenges
- The standard systems were not originally designed with hazardous area duty in mind.
- Each system comprised a robot arm, with 10 camera and control enclosures in varying sizes, each requiring explosion protection.
- To meet code requirements for CID1, the solution would need to include the means to isolate and control power to the system.
- The project needed to be completed in a very short amount of time
Solution
- While it may have been feasible to apply other protection methods to some elements, purge & pressurization was recognised as the only practical solution for the entire system.
- Expo has extensive experience in developing purged & pressurized solutions for similar robotic applications, where a series purged approach is the best solution.
- A minipurge system configured to provide a suitable flow rate across all 10 camera and control enclosures in series - this requires specialist knowledge to ensure sufficient flow at the final enclosure outlet, while not over -pressurizing enclosures at the beginning of the "chain".
- A customised interface unit was integrated with each system to provide electrical power isolation, as required by the applicable standard, NFPA496.
Expo products and services
- MiniPurge type X with continuous flow
- Customised MiniPurge Interface Unit
- Engineering consultancy to advise the client on system configuration & settings for series purging