Software Crashes, Wires Do Not Care
Software can freeze, lose connection or behave in ways nobody expected. If the only way to stop a moving mechanism is a button that sends a message to a program, a crash can leave it running. For anything that could hurt someone, that is not acceptable.
What Hardwired Safety Means
In the projects we deliver through our physical installation service, safety-related stopping is designed in layers.
- Emergency stop buttons — wired to cut power to hazardous movement directly
- Safety relays — dedicated parts that monitor the stop circuit
- Guards and interlocks — stopping movement when a door or cover opens
- Safe default states — mechanisms that fail to a harmless position
- Separate from the show controller — the content software cannot override it
Building something that moves? We offer free consultations on safe installation design... Let's discuss your project →
Standards and Competence
The right level of safety depends on the hazard, and for serious machinery there are formal standards and risk assessment methods to follow. A competent person should carry out and sign off the assessment, not the person who wrote the animation.
Do not treat this article as a substitute for professional advice on your own equipment.
Design It In From the Start
Adding safety late is expensive and awkward. Think about hazards when the mechanism is first sketched, and make sure staff know where the emergency stops are and what they do. Agencies can raise this at briefing through our partnership service.
