The bridges the gap between hardware implementation and regulatory safety documentation. It allows design engineers to calculate the Performance Level (PL) of their safety-related control systems quickly and accurately, proving compliance with international standards like ISO 13849-1. Understanding SISTEMA and ISO 13849-1
Determining the PL requires calculating several complex reliability metrics: : Mean time to dangerous failure DCavg : Average diagnostic coverage CCF : Common cause failures
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While standard PLCs offer decent Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), they are still a single point of failure. Enter .
Manually calculating complex formulas for Markov models or block diagrams is highly prone to human error. The library provides verified numbers straight from Beckhoff’s safety certification labs, ensuring flawless math within SISTEMA. 2. Significant Time Savings
: The data is typically provided in the VDMA 66413 universal database format, which is a standardized XML format for exchanging safety parameters between manufacturers and analysis tools like SISTEMA.
When working with modular Beckhoff hardware like the EtherCAT Terminals (EL series), the Tc3_Module library becomes essential. It provides the function blocks and data structures needed to dynamically discover, configure, and interact with these I/O modules from within your PLC logic, allowing for flexible and scalable machine designs.
Manually entering safety parameters for every terminal, drive, and sensor is time-consuming and prone to errors. To streamline this process, Beckhoff provides a pre-compiled component library.
: The structural architecture of the safety circuit (Categories B, 1, 2, 3, or 4)
: Ensures your calculations use the latest manufacturer-validated safety data required by auditing bodies (like TÜV). Supported Beckhoff Components
Visit the official Beckhoff website. Navigate to the download section under or search directly for "SISTEMA". Download the latest version of the Beckhoff SISTEMA library to ensure it includes the most recent hardware releases. Step 2: Import into SISTEMA Open the SISTEMA software on your computer.
Reliability values for individual components (like EL-terminals) can be found in the Download Finder by searching for "SISTEMA" or the specific hardware part number. Download finder | Beckhoff Worldwide
Go to the top menu and select -> Local library (or use the library management window).
Safety functions are evaluated from sensor to logic to actuator. In SISTEMA, you create a Safety Function (SF) and distribute components into Channels and Blocks:
When you create a new TwinCAT PLC project, the engineering environment automatically adds a set of fundamental libraries by default. These are the essential building blocks you will use in almost every program.
Once the Beckhoff components are assigned to their respective channels, SISTEMA will automatically calculate the overall Performance Level of your system. If the green checkmark appears, your system satisfies the target safety requirements. You can then export the final documentation as a PDF report for your machine's technical file. Best Practices for TwinSAFE Evaluation
Open the Beckhoff library window side-by-side with your project.
: Hardware components undergo continuous optimization, and safety certifications are occasionally updated. Check Beckhoff's site regularly to ensure you are not designing systems with obsolete reliability data.
Drag your safety output component (such as an EL2904 output terminal or an AX5000 drive with STO) from the Beckhoff library into the Output block. Step 4: Verify the Performance Level