The robust, smart new Flexi Mobile safety controller from SICK Sensor Intelligence has been designed for AGVs and AMRs, delivering flexible design and intuitive configuration.
– Ideal for heavy duty indoor and outdoor applications, the new Flexi Mobile Safety Controller from SICK Sensor Intelligence is the ultimate solution for ensuring safety in dynamic mobile robots. The robust, intelligent, easy-to-install solution has been designed specifically by the global sensor company to meet the needs of both indoor and outdoor automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). It brings together SICK’s decades of experience in encoders and autonomous vehicle technology in a single smart device with durable aluminium housing. SICK’s Flexi Mobile delivers excellent environment perception and safe motion monitoring for AGVs/AMRs in indoor and outdoor settings to optimise the productivity and safety of automated processes even in confined spaces.
Flexible, advanced design and intuitive configuration
As demand for autonomous mobile applications and more integrated automation equipment increases, new flexible safety solutions are required. Flexi Mobile’s cabinet-free intelligent installation concept and excellent autonomous vehicle capabilities provide greater freedom and more cost-effective design, enabling quick, space-saving integration into driverless trucks for up to two axes. It is possible to safely connect sensors in series without additional wiring via rectangular multi-pin connectors on wire harnesses, supporting cost-efficient series production of mobile machines, and making adding and removing individual safety devices simple.
Flexi Mobile is programmable using a total of 512 function blocks, including TUV-certified dedicated differential drive function blocks to accelerate the development of standard-compliant AGVs and AMRs. Safe motion solutions are possible up to PLe/SIL 3, including almost all safe motion function blocks from the SICK Flexisoft controller, meeting required safety performance levels for dynamic mobile platforms. Safe kinematics increase productivity even in confined environments and Flexi Mobile facilitates omnidirectional drive concepts.
Intuitive, step-by-step configuration via SICK Safety Designer
Comprehensive, process-oriented intuitive configuration of Flexi Mobile devices can be achieved using SICK’s free-to-use, drag-and-drop Safety Designer Software. Safety Designer makes it easy to configure, document and evaluate complete safety applications across a wide range of SICK safety components with just one tool. Providing essential safety data, reports and continuous diagnostics, SICK Safety Designer reduces unplanned downtime and provides legal certainty in the form of reliable, detailed, standard-compliant safety documentation. It is even possible to virtually create applications before purchasing hardware at no cost.
Flexi Mobile is ideal for a wide range of mobile applications
The Flexi Mobile safety controller can be mounted on mobile vehicles in tough environments without a control cabinet. Its robust shock and vibration-resistant aluminium housing provides protection against environmental influences (IP66, IP67 & IP69K) ensuring excellent capabilities against dirt and ingress. The device has high passive cooling capacity and has been rigorously tested to resist high pressure, as well as surface temperatures ranging from -40C – +80 C. Flexi Mobile also has an impressive 4 m/s cycle time, is rated up to PLe/SIL3, features Modbus TCP fieldbus for diagnostics and can accommodate up to three Flexi Loop chains.
Its modular design means Flexi Mobile can be tailored to meet the needs of different autonomous mobile applications, with a variety of I/O expansion modules as well as Ethernet, Modbus TCP, SLMP, CAN and CANopen interfaces available. The new SICK safety controller is ideally suited to both indoor and outdoor off-highway autonomous vehicles (AMRs, AGVs, IMRs) and machinery, including indoor service robots, driverless trucks, service robots and transport vehicles. Key applications range from off-road, logistics and agricultural uses to material handling, mining, logistics, municipal machinery, ports, airports and construction.
Dr Martin Kidman, SICK Safety Product Manager, says, “We are excited to launch the SICK Flexi Mobile range, bringing together all the benefits of SICK’s Flexi Soft technology and our decades of experience in autonomous mobile applications. Robust, rugged and easily configured using dedicated function blocks and the unique free SICK Safety Designer tool, Flexi Mobile is capable of withstanding the rigorous demands of AMR and AGV applications whilst meeting all the relevant safety standards without the need for a control cabinet, providing easy and fast design and validation of mobile platforms.”
