Safety Relays Ensure Optimal Protection for People and Equipment

In many railway and elevator applications, Hengstler safety relays are the switching technology of choice. They enable the design of safety-related systems in accordance with SIL3 and SIL4 with significantly less effort than semiconductor relays. At the same time, relays with forcibly guided contacts offer optimal protection for both people and equipment.

Control systems with safety relays immediately detect when a component or relay within a circuit is defective. In the event of a failure, the system can be shut down using a second, redundantly installed safety relay. The forcibly guided contacts then prevent the defective machine from being switched back on, ensuring a safe state. As the inventor of the relay with forcibly guided contacts, Hengstler possesses extensive expertise in safety circuit design and counts numerous renowned companies among its customers.

Especially in railway and elevator applications, Hengstler relays with forcibly guided contacts offer clear advantages over semiconductor relays. With the correct safety circuit design, devices and systems for SIL3 and SIL4 can be implemented much more easily using safety relays. This is due not only to the lower unit cost of the relays, but also to their low power dissipation and straightforward technology, which reacts in a clearly predictable manner in the event of a fault. As a result, safety relays are much easier to integrate into complex applications than semiconductor relays. Hengstler safety relays are used worldwide, including in train and elevator door control systems, railway signaling technology, safety equipment in traction vehicles, and braking systems.