Ensuring safety and reliable oxygen measurement with SIL-capable oxygen analysers
October 7, 2024
SIL-capable oxygen analysers can play a critical role in ensuring safety and reliable oxygen measurement in metal Additive Manufacturing, explains Process Sensing Technologies (PST), headquartered in Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK. Whether producing aerospace components, automotive parts, or medical devices, manufacturers must manage the significant risks involved in handling reactive materials. The risks of flash fires and explosions make stringent safety measures necessary.
As metal Additive Manufacturing continues to advance, more diverse industries and specialised applications are adopting it; their requirements are the same—safety, reliability, and product quality.
In functional safety, Safety Integrity Level (SIL) is defined as the relative level of risk-reduction provided by a Safety Instrumented Function (SIF), i.e. the measurement of the performance required of the SIF. Electric and electronic devices can be certified for use in functional safety applications, according to IEC 61508. There are a number of application-specific standards based on or adapted from IEC 61508, such as IEC 61511 for the process industry sector.
The Basic Process Control System (BPCS), alarms, etc., can, at best, only reduce the risk by a factor of 10. Any instrumented system that is reliable enough and required to reduce the risk by a factor of more than 10 automatically falls within SIL regulations. Reducing risk to a ‘tolerable’ level can be difficult to achieve without including a SIL-rated safety function.
| SIL | Risk Reduction |
| Non-SIL | 10 |
| SIL 1 | 100 |
| SIL 2 | 1000 |
| SIL 3 | 10000 |
The Ntron SIL02 Oxygen Analyzer has been designed to specifically address Additive Manufacturing requirements for a low cost SIL2 rated oxygen analyser for inertisation applications. The complete system (analyser and sensor) meets the requirements of IEC 61508 SIL2. Fast response, high repeatability, and no sensor drift make this analyser a low-maintenance solution that delivers reliable performance for safety-critical process control applications.
For more information on the SIL-O2 Oxygen Analyser and other solutions for Additive Manufacturing, visit here.
