Dr. William Goble, CFSE, exida Principal Partner authored an article featured in the February 2012 issue of Applied Automation Magazine, titled “Can You Depend on That Sensor?”
An instrumentation device that is supposed to keep your process from erupting during an upset may sit there for years if there is no emergency. Will it work when the time comes? Safety sensors can help you sleep better.
You won’t have to look far to find examples of automation component failures in critical situations with catastrophic results. Several Toyota owners reported experiencing problems with their anti-lock braking system causing their cars to speed up when not expected. There were many contributing causes to the Deepwater Horizon spill, but a major one was the failure of the blowout preventer. Safety sensors can help maximize safety and reliability by minimizing critical failures and help ensure that safety is not compromised in the event of a failure.