Overview of the MAKESafe Power Tool Brake System
PowerSafe Automation now offers the MAKESafe Power Tool Brake System, a plug-and-play machine safety solution designed to upgrade common machine shop and industrial equipment with emergency stopping, anti-restart protection, and active motor braking.
Designed for legacy machines that may continue to coast after power is removed, the Power Tool Brake provides a practical way to improve machine stopping performance without requiring a complete machine controls redesign.
The system combines three important machine safety functions into one compact retrofit package:
- Emergency stopping
- Unintentional restart prevention
- Active motor braking
Why MAKESafe Power Tool Brake?
Turning a machine off doesn't necessarily mean hazardous motion stops immediately.
Equipment such as bench grinders, band saws, disc sanders, surface grinders, lathes, and other rotating machinery can continue to coast after power has been removed. Depending on the machine, that residual motion can continue to present a hazard even though the machine has been switched off.
The MAKESafe Power Tool Brake is designed to address both the control and coast-down concerns of compatible legacy equipment.
When a stop or emergency-stop command is initiated, the system removes power and actively brakes the motor to reduce stopping time. Following a power interruption, anti-restart protection requires a deliberate operator restart before normal machine operation can resume.
This provides a practical machine safety upgrade for facilities that want to retain productive legacy equipment while improving its machine controls and stopping performance.
Need help determining whether your machine is compatible? Send PowerSafe Automation the machine make, model, voltage, horsepower, and a few photos.
Three Safety Functions in One System
Active Motor Braking
- The Power Tool Brake actively brakes the machine motor rather than relying solely on natural coast-down.
- Reducing stopping time can help reduce the period during which hazardous rotating motion remains after a stop command is initiated.
Emergency Stop
- The system includes a dedicated latching emergency-stop pushbutton and provides a Category 1 controlled stop, using braking to stop the motor before power is removed.
Anti-Restart Protection
- If electrical power is interrupted and later restored, the machine does not automatically resume operation. A deliberate restart command is required before operation can continue.
Key Features
- Active Motor Braking Reduces machine coast-down time by actively braking compatible motors following a stop command.
- Category 1 Emergency Stop Provides a controlled stopping function followed by removal of power.
- Unintentional Restart Prevention Requires deliberate operator action before the machine can restart following a power interruption.
- Integrated Start / Stop / E-Stop Controls Provides clearly identifiable machine controls through a compact three-button operator station.
- Plug-and-Play Retrofit Designed to upgrade compatible machines without extensive modification of the original machine controls.
- Remote Operator Control The standard control panel includes a 9-foot cable, allowing it to be positioned at a convenient operator location.
- Industrial Construction The control panel is designed to resist water, dust, and oil and utilizes industrial-grade pushbutton components.
- Multiple Voltage Configurations Available for common 120V single-phase, 240V single-phase, and 240V three-phase machines.
- Expandable Configurations Alternate configurations can incorporate additional E-stops, foot switches, guard interlocks, different plugs, and automation interfaces.
Applications
The MAKESafe Power Tool Brake can be used on many common machine shop and industrial machines where residual rotating motion may remain after the machine is switched off, including:
- Bench grinders
- Band saws
- Disc sanders
- Belt sanders
- Surface grinders
- Lathes
- Mills
- Drill presses
- Other compatible industrial machinery
Machine compatibility should be confirmed based on the machine's motor type, electrical configuration, voltage, phase, horsepower, operating characteristics, and existing controls.
Benefits
- Reduce machine coast-down time
- Reduce exposure time to residual hazardous motion
- Add emergency-stop functionality to compatible legacy equipment
- Provide anti-restart protection following a power interruption
- Modernize older Start / Stop controls
- Upgrade existing machines without a complete controls redesign
- Create more consistent machine controls throughout a machine shop
- Extend the useful life of mechanically sound legacy equipment
- Support broader machine safeguarding and risk-reduction initiatives
Available Configurations
Standard MAKESafe Power Tool Brake configurations include:
- 120V Single Phase Up to 1.5 HP
- 240V Single Phase Up to 3 HP
- 240V Three Phase Up to 5 HP
Standard systems are rated at 15A.
50 Hz, alternate plug types, cable terminations, and other custom configurations are also available for applications outside the standard offering.
What's Included?
Each standard system includes:
- MAKESafe Power Tool Brake
- Three-button Start / Stop / Emergency Stop control panel
- 9-foot operator-control cable
- Power connections for the selected configuration
- Product manual
- Adjustment tool
- Adjustment-hole plugs
Installation & Support
The MAKESafe Power Tool Brake is designed to simplify the retrofit process for compatible machines.
- Download a copy of the MAKESafe Power Tool Brake Manual
A typical installation consists of:
- Connecting the machine to the Power Tool Brake.
- Addressing the existing machine switch and mounting the new operator control station.
- Calibrating the braking power for the specific machine.
- Testing the Start, Stop, E-Stop, anti-restart, and braking functions.
PowerSafe Automation can help evaluate the machine application, determine product compatibility, and identify whether the Power Tool Brake can be used as a standalone upgrade or should be incorporated into a more comprehensive machine safeguarding system.
For facilities with multiple legacy machines, PowerSafe can also help identify opportunities to standardize machine controls, emergency stopping, anti-restart protection, and braking across the machine shop.
Approvals & Machine Safety Considerations
The MAKESafe Power Tool Brake is designed as an industrial machine control and braking solution for compatible equipment.
Product approvals include:
- UL 508 / UL 508A Industrial Control applications
- CSA #14-13 Industrial Control Equipment
The system can help address machine-control, unexpected-restart, and machine stopping concerns as part of a broader machine safety strategy.
Applicable requirements may vary depending on the machine, application, hazards, and required risk-reduction measures.
Important: Adding motor braking, an emergency stop, or anti-restart protection does not by itself make a machine compliant. Appropriate machine guarding, point-of-operation protection, energy isolation, electrical safety, risk assessment, and other required safeguards must still be evaluated for the specific application.
E-Stop & Anti-Restart vs. Power Tool Brake
Not every machine requires active motor braking.
For machines where the primary concern is unexpected restart following a power interruption, the MAKESafe E-Stop & Anti-Restart System may provide the appropriate control upgrade.
For machines where hazardous motion continues during coast-down, the MAKESafe Power Tool Brake adds active motor braking to reduce stopping time.
E-Stop & Anti-Restart System: Start/Stop + Emergency Stop + Anti-Restart Protection
Power Tool Brake System: Start/Stop + Emergency Stop + Anti-Restart Protection + Active Motor Braking
Is the MAKESafe Power Tool Brake Right for Your Machine?
The Power Tool Brake can be a practical solution when an existing machine remains mechanically productive but lacks modern emergency-stop, anti-restart, or rapid-stopping capabilities.
