AUMA SECURITY UNITS FQM
News / FEBRUARY 14, 2020
AUMA safety FQM units increase availability in Volvo sheet metal press facility
AUMA has supplied electric actuators equipped with FQM safety units to ensure a continuous water supply at the Volvo Car Group plant in Olofström, southern Sweden – even in the event of a power supply failure.
Volvo Personvagnar AB Karosskomponenter manufactures body parts for Volvo cars. The steel plates are heated to 950°C before pressing into shape. Ovens used to heat plates rely on water cooling to protect critical parts. Continuous cooling is very important to maintain production and avoid costly damage.
In normal operation, the cooling water of the plant is pumped through a closed loop. If the normal cooling system is interrupted, the plant switches to one-time emergency cooling using water from the utility supply. The transition to emergency cooling must function even in the event of a power failure.
AUMA therefore supplied two SQ 07.2 part-turn actuators with AC 01.2 control and two FQM 07.1 safety units for cooling system valves. FQM safety units use mechanical energy, in the form of a constant force spring, to open or close the valve when electricity is not available.
If cooling water is lost for any reason, the safety PLC signals the necessary positioning of both safety units in sequence. The first FQM unit closes the inlet and outlet valves of the cooling circuit. The valves are closed at the same time by a connecting lever. The second FQM unit opens two emergency cooling valves, also using a connecting lever: one is connected to the communal supply and the other to the outlet, after the water has done the cooling.
Since installation, an emergency cooling system has already been required once. FQM units operated exactly as planned, avoiding costly production line closures.
