Schmersal produces access control systems to support retailers during coronavirus crisis

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2020-07-07 06:43:00

The ‘Schmersal Human Counter’ makes it easier to comply with coronavir regulations in public spaces

The Schmersal Group is helping retailers and other companies to cope with the effects of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. The company has developed a digital access control system thatus makes it easier to comply with coronavir regulations in public spaces without considerable staff expenditure.

The distancing rule is the order of the day in these times of coronavirus, and to maintain safe distances, access management is absolutely necessary. The ‘Schmersal Human Counter’ (SHCIO-20) is an intuitive traffic-light system with integrated counter that automatically counts the number of visitors entering a building. As soon as a maximum number of visitors has entered, a signal tone is sounded to indicate that the person who entered the building last must leave. In addition, the system also uses traffic-light colours to indicate access or no access, with green meaning ‘please enter’ and red meaning ‘please wait’.

The system has already undergone several weeks of testing at a retailer and is available for delivery immediately. The ‘Schmersal Human Counter’ could also come in useful in places such as fitness studios, doctor’s practices, restaurants and other public institutions.

The key elements of the system are an indicator light (green, yellow, red) with buzzer and a programmable safety relay module from the PROTECT SRB-E series, produced at the Schmersal Group’s Wettenberg site. This module is normally used to monitor safety switchgear and achieves the maximum safety level in machine safety.

The traffic-light system is quick and easy to install, requiring just a conventional 230 V socket; the counter also needs to be set. The system, capable of counting up to twenty people, comprises entirely industry-tested components. For user-friendly operation, the system incorporates command devices from the Schmersal N range, which are designed for maximum hygiene and easy cleaning.

‘Many businesses have developed creative emergency solutions for access management, but they often require considerable staffing or even raise the risk of contagion,’ explains Ulrich Bernhardt, Sales Manager for Control Systems at the Schmersal Group. ‘By contrast, the Schmersal Human Counter is a simple system that requires very little investment and few staff. We have put our cumulative experience in safety systems into the development of the system. For decades, Schmersal has been working to ensure that people are protected from health hazards in their working environment.’

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