Fonterra Whareroa B&C Line Powder Palletising Robots Safety Upgrade

Access was required into the Robotic Palletiser Cells on the B&C lines through two personnel access gates for trouble shooting or cleaning.

Site protocols required that access to the zones could only be made after a process stop had been initiated at the robot controller, and confirmation of no motion present. Following this, a trapped key at the access gate can be unlocked and removed to initiate the unlocking of the access gates.

In addition to these access gate changes, upgraded monitored pneumatic valves were fitted to remove all pneumatic sources of energy.

The Flexisoft Safety Controller was upgraded to enable communication via Ethernet with the Process Logic Controllers for the palletising lines and stretch wrapper, allowing a substantial cost saving due to minimal interface wiring.

Project Requirements as per Machine Risk Assessment (MRA)

• Performance Level “d” – (PL)d
• Category 3 architecture