Glossary · Functional safety
SafeDESIGNER
Also known as: B&R SafeDESIGNER, Safe Designer
German: SafeDESIGNER
In machine automation, SafeDESIGNER is the safety engineering tool from B&R, used within the Automation Studio environment to create and configure safety applications for B&R safety controllers, typically using certified safety function blocks.
- Functional safety
- Integrated systems
In one sentence
SafeDESIGNER is B&R's engineering tool for creating and configuring safety applications for its safety controllers.
Example
A machine builder links emergency stop, guard door and enabling device inputs to certified function blocks in SafeDESIGNER and downloads the signed safety application to the SafeLOGIC controller.
How it applies
- Engineering: Safety logic is built from certified function blocks, which reduces the effort for validating the application program compared with free programming.
- Communication: B&R safety systems commonly communicate via openSAFETY.
- Change control: Safety applications are identified by checksums or signatures. Any change produces a new identity, which must be reviewed, tested and released under Change control.
- Documentation: Record the tool version, application checksum and function block versions in the validation report. The documentation team should describe which parameters maintenance staff may change and which require a new safety validation.
SafeDESIGNER vs. general PLC programming
In a standard PLC program, logic can be written freely. In SafeDESIGNER, the safety application runs separately from the standard application on the safety controller and is built mainly from certified blocks, so its validation effort and change rules differ.
Keep in mind: Product names, tool versions and features change. Check them against the vendor's current documentation.