Hoist first broke the news that the company’s European operation was planning a low-end radio remote control in December 2004 (“Cattron-Theimeg enters low end,” Hoist December 2004-January 2005, p. 3).
Fighting off the competition in this space is, the company says, “no small task.”
“This will be a very competitive product that will provide a high degree of flexibility as well as a platform for future development,” said Jim Robertson, industrial sales worldwide senior vice president.
The remote is intended for markets around the world. “Our systems must be universally deployable and meet all the relevant standards in all countries,” said Wieland Weigler, Cattron-Theimeg Europe.
Initially, Cattron will offer Excalibur with transmitters in 6, 8, 10 or 12 two-step push-button configurations and receivers with 9, 12 or 17 relays.
The Excalibur also features dual-processor architecture. The device processes all data through two separate paths in both transmitter and receiver. A command cannot be executed unless the data is exactly the same. The company says that this method complies with the Stop command requirements of DIN EN954-1, Category 3.
“Safety requirements for machines and their operation are continuously becoming more stringent,” Weigler said. “We expect that even simple applications will have to comply with higher safety standards in the future. We have prepared for this trend by implementing a uniform safety concept throughout our new systems.”
The Excalibur also features a special electronic transponder key that contains all the identification, configuration and addressing information. Any properly configured transmitter with the correct TransKey can communicate with the matched receiver.
