📋 Case Study

Automated Packaging Line Safety Upgrade at Food Processing Facility

Multiple pinch-point and entanglement hazards during changeover; existing light curtains lacked validation for IPL status

🏗️ Project Overview

Installation of robotic palletizer with integrated conveyors and vision-guided pick-and-place

🎯 Challenge

Multiple pinch-point and entanglement hazards during changeover; existing light curtains lacked validation for IPL status

🔧 Design Approach

LOPA applied per ISO 13849-1 to verify performance level (PL e) and assign IPL credit: safety-rated PLC logic, dual-channel light curtain (Type 4), emergency stop circuit, and lockout/tagout procedure for maintenance

📐 Design Diagram

AI-generated project design illustration

📐 Key Calculations

PL Calculation

MTTFd, DC, CC, architecture category per ISO 13849-1

Result: PL e (Cat. 4)

Meets highest performance requirement for high-risk motion

IPL Credit for LOTO Procedure

β-factor × human reliability model (HRA)

Result: RRF = 5

Only credited after procedural audit and competency assessment

Guard Distance Validation

EN 999 / ANSI B11.19 stopping time + approach speed

Result: 785 mm

Ensures safe reach-time barrier integrity

📊 Results

All hazardous motions assigned SIL 2-equivalent protection; zero lost-time incidents in 24 months post-implementation; passed TUV functional safety audit

💡 Lessons Learned

•Light curtains must be Type 4 with cross-monitoring to qualify as IPL — Type 2 or 3 are insufficient
•LOTO procedures earn IPL credit only when tied to documented competency assessments and periodic revalidation

✅ Key Takeaways

1Light curtains must be Type 4 with cross-monitoring to qualify as IPL — Type 2 or 3 are insufficient
2LOTO procedures earn IPL credit only when tied to documented competency assessments and periodic revalidation

📐 Prerequisites

Understand these before this topic

→ Hazard Identification & Risk Assessment - Complete Guide → LOPA (Layer of Protection Analysis) - Complete Guide → Getting Started with LOPA (Layer of Protection Analysis)

➡️ Next Step

Continue your engineering workflow

📌 Safety Compliance energy.toolfusion.net 📌 Functional Safety Check agri.toolfusion.net

🔗 Engineering Applications

See how this applies across industries

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