Two-hand control unit for compressed air driven machinery

The XSHC04 two-hand control unit – part of the IMI Herion product range – can be fitted to any machine function where the operator is required to use both hands to start its operation, as a safety measure designed to safeguard against accidental start. Both buttons need to be depressed within 0.5 seconds of each other to achieve an output, so both hands need to be engaged simultaneously, which ensures any start-up is intentional. The unit is designed to work with compressed air systems filtered to 40µm for lubricated or non-lubricated operation, across a range of 3-8 bar.

Commenting on the safety credentials of the product, Andrew Gibson, product manager at IMI Precision Engineering, said: “The EN574 Safety of Machinery standard covers minimum performance and safety characteristics including simultaneous operation, fault tolerance and prevention of accidental operation. The XSHC04 two-hand control unit satisfies all these requirements, meaning design engineers can be confident that compressed air systems will meet the safety standards of the Machinery Directive.”