The new EsMatix 3 switching device –
faster, more compact, more user-friendly

BBC Bircher Smart Access is unveiling its new EsMatix 3 switching device for use in machines and plants. EsMatix 3 has been specifically designed to ensure safety in plants, robots and at automated workstations. It features two signal inputs, making it possible to connect either one sensor or two. Used in conjunction with Bircher safety contact mats or safety edges, EsMatix 3 represents a certified system that satisfies the criteria of performance level PLe with category 3 according to EN ISO 13849-1. The new EsMatix 3 from Bircher is also available in a second version: EsMatix 3.D, featuring an inverted status output. This enables EsMatix 3 to be used for a whole range of control systems.

ESD3 re-engineered

EsMatix 3 builds on the functions provided by Bircher's popular ESD3. Its technology upgrade brings clear benefits: the developers at Bircher have replaced the electromechanical relays used in ESD3 with solid-state relays (SSRs), EsMatix 3 is able to switch without bouncing, as well as deliver a shorter response time of less than 5 ms. The device is available again just 30 ms after an actuation. As a result, EsMatix 3 is faster and more compact than its predecessor – and features a more reliable system. What's more, Bircher's new generation of switching devices comes complete with EDM (external device monitoring), designed for monitoring external contacts via the reset contacts.

Versatile configuration and easy operation

Thanks to its user-friendly buttons, LCD and intuitive menu structure, EsMatix 3 is exceptionally easy to start up and configure. Users can select whether resets and acknowledgements are initiated automatically, manually at the touch of a button, or, manually via an external device. In automatic mode, the output signal can extend in four stages by as much as 1 s. This enables it to adapt perfectly in line with its environment. The illuminated display continuously shows the operating status, while the status relay passes on any sensor errors or actuations. In service mode, technicians are able to view the hardware and software version, the internal voltage and the chip temperature – all at the touch of a button. The error history can be used to read and analyse the five most recent error messages.

Input signal debouncing

Establishing safe conditions when using chipping tools and plants is often a difficult task. In the case of wood-processing machines, for example, falling pieces of wood can frequently trigger incorrect switching, resulting in unwanted machine downtime. Bircher’s developers took up the challenge of tackling this problem, integrating the option of debouncing the input signal in EsMatix 3. This makes it possible to suppress sensor signals of up to 15 ms, 30 ms or 45 ms as required. 

Download EsMatix 3 brochure

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