Touch Button Designed To Improve Control

A new touch button has been designed to increase operator safety and reliability while expanding product functionality to suit a wider range of applications. Touted as an industry first, the Allen-Bradley 800Z Zero-Force Series B line push button provides Category 3 Type IIIB and Category 4 Type IIIC safety ratings for two-hand control applications. An inter-linked sensor surface can weave two capacitive sensors in offset planes for greater product sensitivity. This lets users operate the buttons wearing thick gloves. A fault detection component alerts the operator of a potentially dangerous condition by shutting itself off first and then flashing an appropriate fault signal. Improved noise immunity is achieved on the 800Z by using a combination of pattern-recognition and noise-sensing algorithms to distinguish between a true input stimulus and disruptive noise. This helps ensure the 800Z push button will not operate unintentionally. The design package is said to alleviate the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve disorders common to repetitive operator interfaces. ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, Milwaukee, WI. (800) 223-5354.