IDEC Corporation has added the XW1E assisted emergency stop switch (AE-stop) to its safety portfolio. The device keeps the mechanics of a conventional 22 mm e-stop and adds an optional 24 V DC solenoid that can latch the button on command, so a machine can be stopped even when nobody can physically reach the switch.
Why a remotely activated e-stop
A classic e-stop circuit relies on a person pressing a mushroom button, which latches down and de-energizes the circuit until someone pulls or turns it back to reset. That works well on fixed machines with easy access. It is less convenient in plants where robots, AGVs, AMRs and moving payloads can put the operator out of reach of the nearest button.
The updated low-voltage switchgear standard IEC 60947-5-5:2026 now allows additional functions to be embedded in emergency stop devices. IDEC has used that opening to add an activation assist to the XW1E, while keeping the switch itself a safety-rated e-stop. The assisted activation is not a safety-rated function: it is an extra way to trigger the stop, not a replacement for the safety circuit.
How the AE-stop works
When its 24 V DC solenoid is energized, the switch drives the button into the push-latched state exactly as if an operator had pressed it. The command can come from another safety device, an external sensor or controller, or a wireless system. Whatever triggered it, the switch can only be reset locally and manually by a person, so the standard e-stop behaviour is preserved.
Like other IDEC X-Series e-stops, the XW1E uses IDEC’s patented reverse energy structure: a spring is arranged to operate the e-stop if the switch is physically damaged in certain ways, helping the circuit reach a safe state instead of staying closed.
Technical specifications
- Mounting: standard 22 mm panel hole, compact form factor
- Protection: IP65 and UL Type 4X (indoor)
- Durability: at least 250,000 mechanical/electrical operations
- Operating forces: 11 N to push-latch, 17 N to pull-reset, 0.27 N·m to turn-reset
- Contacts: 1NO + 2NC with push-in terminals (one monitoring contact, two main contacts)
- Assist actuator: 24 V DC solenoid (optional activation assist, not safety-rated)
- Reset: local and manual only
- Standard: designed to the requirements of IEC 60947-5-5:2026
Typical applications
IDEC targets new machines and retrofits where moving equipment makes a conventional button hard to reach: robot cells, AGV and AMR fleets, logistics and intralogistics equipment, agricultural and construction machinery, and service-industry equipment. More details are available on the IDEC Assisted E-Stop system page and in the IDEC digital catalog.
Why it matters for machine builders
For safety designers, the XW1E offers a way to link a physical e-stop to other events without changing the way the stop is reset. A light curtain controller, a PLC that detects a fault, or a wireless pendant can latch the same button that operators already know, and the machine still needs a person at the panel to restart. Because the solenoid path is not safety-rated, the safety function must still be built around the switch contacts and a suitable safety relay or controller, such as the IDEC FS1B safety controller.
For panel builders, the device keeps the usual 22 mm cut-out and push-in wiring, so it can replace a standard e-stop in an existing layout. More IDEC product news is available in our IDEC section.