Networked safety: why it will pay you big to start small

The vision of networked safety has largely centered on networking safety of functions across integrated systems, cells and lines. The reality is that machine builders are typically not responsible for safety beyond their own machines. For them, even a hardwired safety PLC is often considered cost prohibitive for a feature not required by the customer. So for the majority of stand-alone machines, hardwired safety circuits remain the norm. But what if there were a better way, a way to realize significant improvements in efficiency, response time, diagnostics and productivity...?