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Smart safety for vertical axes
Comprehensive brake solutions ensure safety and make production intelligent.
www.mayr.com
Fig. 1: The ROBA® topstop® is equipped with a standardised plug for easy connection and integration into sensorless monitoring systems.
Gravity-loaded axes in robotics applications must be safe. At the sps 2025 in Nuremberg, mayr ® power transmission showed the new generation of ROBA® topstop® safety brakes make this possible in smart environments. The compatible ROBA® brake-checker® module enables permanent brake monitoring. Combined with the ROBA® gateway, the system delivers valuable data for proactive machine maintenance, a digital twin, and smart production environments. In addition, a practical checklist supports brake validation.
For production facilities or robots with gravity-loaded axes, the protection of people and material is of the essence. Safety brakes built according to the fail-safe principle – i.e., applied in de-energized condition – provide the foundation here. The ROBA® topstop® from mayr® power transmission holds the loads in position reliably and prevents uncontrolled movements in case of power outages or emergency stops. As they are placed between the motor and the output, the brakes can be retrofitted in existing constructions – a solution that reduces effort and costs.
Robust construction ensures reliability
For day-to-day industrial operations, the ROBA® topstop® braking system is equipped as an independent, compact module. O-rings at the interfaces ensure reliable sealing against dust and moisture – the brakes achieve IP66 protection as standard. The vertical axes remain secured even when the drive is dismantled, which is advantageous during maintenance and transport. Thanks to the adaptable flange dimensions, the system can be easily integrated into existing constructions.
Fig. 2: The combination of ROBA® gateway and ROBA® brake-checker® not only ensures intelligent control and operation of the brakes but also enables efficient and predictive maintenance through sensorless, networked brake monitoring.
Sensorless monitoring – data for smart production
With the ROBA® brake-checker®, mayr® offers a module that monitors the safety brakes without the need for additional sensors. It recognizes the brake’s condition based on current and voltage trends, enabling proactive maintenance. Critical parameters – such as switching time, coil temperature, and functional reserves – are reliably detected. The additional ROBA® gateway module renders the solution network-compatible so that the collected data can be integrated into existing remote maintenance systems or digital twins can be created, for example, thus ensuring smart production and more transparency in the drive line.
Validation tool simplifies dimensioning
Besides the technology, mayr® also offers support during engineering: a specially developed validation aid with the safety characteristic value B10d makes dimensioning according to DIN EN ISO 13849-1 easier. The structured checklist includes all of the relevant information about the applied basic and tried-and-tested safety principles and enables a standardized assessment of the deployed brakes. The fact that the ROBA® topstop® has been deemed a “well-tried component” as per category 1 by TÜV (German Technical Inspectorate) is particularly helpful.
With its new generation of brakes and the associated digital modules, mayr® is offering carefully designed end-to-end solutions for safety critical applications in automation. At the sps 2025, mayr® showed how smart drive components not only improve safety but also ensure the availability of valuable data.
