Safety Light Curtain Ultimate Guide
Nowadays Safety is one of the most important factors in any industry, maybe it is Small Industry, Medium Industry, or Large Industry.
Whenever you enter into any industry, You will observe one thing that is “Safety First”
In this blog, you are going to learn about
- What is Industrial Safety?
- What is Human Safety from Machines?
- More about Safety Light Curtains
- Important Specifications in Safety Light Curtains
- How to choose Safety Light Curtains for your application
- How to Install Safety Light Curtain in the filed
- Some of the Safety Light Curtain Application
- Common Troubleshooting in Safety Light Curtain
- Top Safety Light Curtain Manufacturers etc.,
I can assure you at the end of this blog you are going to get more ideas about the Safety Light Curtain.
Let’s Start..!
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction to the
Industrial Machine Safety
Chapter 2
Know More About the
Safety Light Curtain
Chapter 3
Specifications of the
Safety Light Curtain
Chapter 4
How to Choose the
Safety Light Curtains?
Chapter 5
How to Install the
Safety Light Curtain
Chapter 6
Applications of the
Safety Light Curtain
Chapter 7
Safety Light Curtain
Trouble Shooting
Chapter 8
Top 21 Manufactures of the
Safety Light Curtain
Chapter 1
Introduction to the Industrial Machine Safety
Machine Safety is nothing but We need to save a Human/Machine Operator from a Machine.
In this chapter, you are going to learn about the basics of Industrial Safety, Machine Safety, Why is Machine Safety important, What are the most important machine safety components and more details.
Let’s go inside.
What is An Industrial Safety?
Industrial safety refers to the management of all operations and events within an industry to protect employees, assets, and the environment by minimizing hazards, risks, and accidents. This involves implementing various safety measures, systems, and procedures to ensure a safe and healthy working environment. Industrial safety covers various aspects such as:
- General Safety: Includes workplace safety policies, safe work practices, and employee training to create a safe working environment.
- Machine Safety: Ensures that machines are properly designed, maintained, and operated to prevent accidents and protect operators from harm.
- Fire Safety: Involves the implementation of fire prevention measures, firefighting equipment, and emergency evacuation plans to protect employees and assets from fire hazards.
- Health Safety: Covers the prevention of occupational illnesses and diseases by implementing proper hygiene practices, personal protective equipment (PPE), and health monitoring programs.
- Environmental Safety: Focuses on minimizing the environmental impact of industrial operations by managing waste, emissions, and resource consumption.
- Electrical Safety: Ensures the safe design, installation, and maintenance of electrical systems to prevent electrical hazards and accidents.
- Building Safety: Involves the proper design, construction, and maintenance of buildings and structures to ensure their structural integrity and safety.
- Material Safety: Covers the safe handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials, as well as the proper use of material safety data sheets (MSDS) and labeling.
Industrial safety is a crucial aspect of management and requires the collaboration of safety professionals, management, and employees to effectively minimize risks and maintain a safe working environment. The primary responsibility of safety professionals is to keep employees and the company safe from accidents and hazards by implementing appropriate safety measures and continuously monitoring and improving safety performance.
What is the Machine Safety?
Machines are the heart of any industry, responsible for manufacturing various components. However, working with machines also involves risks that must be managed to ensure the safety of operators.
You might wonder, what are the common risks associated with machines? Some common risks include sharp edges of components, pressing or moving parts, hot surfaces, and more.
When assigning an operator to work with a machine, it is essential to provide proper training on how to operate the machine safely. In addition to training, operational precautions are crucial for running a machine without any accidents.
The first priority should be to eliminate hazards by installing physical guarding or protection mechanisms, such as safety switches, safety light curtains, and safety controllers. These measures provide clear warning signs and help prevent accidents.
In simple, machine safety is all about minimizing risks and ensuring the protection of human operators while working with machines. By providing adequate training, implementing operational precautions, and installing safety equipment, industries can create a safe working environment that keeps both employees and machinery safe from harm.
Why Machine Safety is So Important?
Industrial machines can be extremely dangerous, leading to a range of injuries, such as:
- Crushed limbs, hands, or fingers from pressing actions
- Cuts and wounds from sharp edges
- Limbs getting trapped in moving parts like belts and rollers
- Broken bones
Due to the potential risks, industry experts recommend prioritizing safety at different stages of the machine lifecycle, including design, manufacture, installation, adjustment, operation, and maintenance.
Since December 29th, 2009, the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and the Council requires machine manufacturers to adhere to a minimum set of safety requirements. This directive ensures that safety is an integral part of machine development and usage.
In simple, machine safety is crucial to protect operators and employees from injuries and accidents while working with industrial machines. By incorporating safety measures and adhering to safety regulations, industries can create a safe working environment and minimize the risks associated with machine operations.
What is the Risk Assessment?
Risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying hazards, estimating risks, evaluating risks, and reducing risks within a workplace.
It is important to understand the difference between hazards and risks:
- A hazard is anything that can cause harm, including work accidents, emergency situations, toxic chemicals, employee conflicts, and stress.
- A risk, on the other hand, is the chance that a hazard will cause harm.
As part of your risk assessment plan, you will identify hazards and then calculate the risk or likelihood of the hazards occurring.
5 Steps to Risk Assessment:
The goal of a risk assessment plan or process will vary industry-wise, but the goal is to help organizations prepare for and combat risk.
Step 1: Identify the Hazards (Risk Identification)
The first step in creating your risk assessment plan is determining the hazards your employees and your company face. Take a look around your workplace and observe processes or activities that could potentially harm your organization.
Review accident/incident reports to determine past hazards and consult with senior and junior-level team members in your organization.
Step 2: Decide who may be harmed and how (Risk Analysis)
Consider how your employees could be harmed by business activities or external factors for every hazard identified in step one. Determine who will be affected should the hazard occur.
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide on control measures (Risk Evaluation)
Assess the likelihood and severity of each hazard’s consequences. This evaluation will help you prioritize which hazards to address first and determine the level of risk reduction needed.
Safety component manufacturers’ technical engineers can offer guidance on solutions and safety components to eliminate specific risks.
Step 4: Record your Hazards findings and Solutions.
Document all data regarding the hazards and how you reduced those issues, regardless of your company’s size. Your plan should include the identified hazards, who is affected, and how you plan to eliminate the issue.
Step 5: Review the assessment and update it if necessary
Workplace activities, equipment, and personnel are always changing, leading to new risks and hazards. Continually review and update your risk assessment process to stay on top of these new hazards and ensure that your safety measures remain effective.
What Are The Important Machine Safety Products?
As previously discussed, machine safety is focused on protecting humans from machinery hazards. Various safety products can be integrated into machinery to help ensure the safety of your employees. Let’s have a look at some of the essential machine safety products.
Safety Light Curtain:
A safety light curtain is an optoelectronic device that detects the presence of objects within certain areas and initiates an emergency shutdown of hazardous machinery when such detection occurs. They are designed to prevent injuries to workers who may inadvertently get too close to the machines.
In the upcoming chapter, we will delve deeper into safety light curtains and explore their functionality, applications, and benefits in industrial settings.
Emergency Stop Buttons:
Emergency stop buttons, also known as Emergency Safety Switches, are safety mechanisms used to shut down machinery in emergency situations when manual shutdown is not possible or too dangerous. Emergency Safety Push Buttons are designed to protect both the operator and the machine in various emergency scenarios.
Emergency stop switches are wired in series with the control circuit of the machine. When the emergency stop switch is pressed, it breaks the circuit and removes the power supply to the machine, causing it to stop operation immediately. This swift response can prevent accidents, minimize damage, and protect the operator and the surrounding environment from potential harm.
Safety Scanner:
Safety scanners, also known as safety laser scanners, are photoelectric barriers with rotating lasers that can be programmed to guard irregularly shaped areas. When an object is detected in the hazard zone, a stop signal is initiated, and a warning alert is sent to personnel when they are approaching the protected area. The machinery will automatically stop when a person comes too close to the hazard zone.
One of the significant advantages of using safety scanners is their flexibility in providing protection for large and/or irregularly shaped areas. If you relocate an application or modify a machine, it is easy to adjust the scanner’s safeguard area to fit the new application. This adaptability makes safety scanners a valuable asset in maintaining a safe working environment within various industrial settings.
Safety Mat:
Safety mats, also known as safety floor mats, are pressure-sensitive electric switches designed to detect the presence of feet or vehicles. They are ideal for risk reduction strategies that require preventing machine startups or initiating machine shutdowns when someone enters a hazardous area.
In addition to their functional role in safety, safety mats also provide a clear visual reminder to humans, helping them identify the safeguarded area. This can further contribute to maintaining a safe working environment by increasing awareness of potentially hazardous zones within the workplace.
Safety Door Switch or Interlock Switch:
Safety Door Switches, also known as Interlock Switches, are used to prevent or permit access to hazardous machinery or workplaces that have been protected by guarding or safety doors. These switches are designed to activate or cut off the electrical current in specific situations and lock the barrier in place.
When the safety door or guarding is opened, the current will be switched off, ensuring that the machinery cannot operate while the safety barrier is compromised. This helps to maintain a safe working environment by preventing accidental operation of machinery during maintenance or inspection, reducing the risk of injuries and accidents.
Safety Relay:
Safety relays are monitoring devices designed to detect electrical and mechanical faults in machinery. Once a problem is detected, relays can initiate various responses to protect workers or prevent expensive breakdowns. These responses may include pausing the machinery, initiating an emergency stop, or shutting down the electrical current.
Safety relays typically work in conjunction with other protective equipment, such as light barriers and safety mats. By integrating these devices into a comprehensive safety system, it is possible to create a safer working environment that minimizes the risk of accidents and injuries while maintaining the efficient operation of industrial machinery.
Rope Pull Switch:
Rope pull switches provide an emergency stop function initiated by pulling on a wire or rope. They are typically used in situations where a conventional emergency stop button would be awkward to access or inaccessible, such as in conveyor applications.
These switches allow operators to quickly and easily stop machinery from a distance, increasing safety and reducing the risk of accidents. By incorporating rope pull switches alongside other safety components, a comprehensive safety system can be created to protect both workers and machinery in various industrial settings.
Machine safety is a critical aspect of maintaining a safe and efficient work environment. By understanding and implementing various safety components, such as safety light curtains, emergency stop buttons, safety scanners, safety mats, safety door switches, safety relays, and rope pull switches, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and injuries while maximizing productivity.
I hope you get some ideas about Industrial Safety and Machine Safety in this chapter.
Now it’s time for the next chapter.
Chapter 2
Know More About the Safety Light Curtain
Safety light curtains are one of the most important and common safety components used by companies to protect machine operators’ fingers, hands, and arms from hazardous situations involving machinery.
In this chapter, we will dive deeper into safety light curtains, discussing how they work, the types of safety light curtains available, and the benefits of using them in industrial settings.
Let’s Start!
What is a Safety Light Curtain?
A safety light curtain is a device that detects the presence of objects within certain areas and initiates an emergency shutdown of hazardous machinery when such detection occurs.
In the past, industries primarily used machine safeguarding, such as mechanical barriers, sliding gates, and pull-back restraints, to protect operators around many hazardous machines. However, safety light curtains offer flexibility, freedom, and reduced operator fatigue compared to traditional safeguarding methods.
In today’s fast-paced world, industries must continuously upgrade their safety measures to stay competitive. This includes not only meeting production quality and quantity standards but also ensuring safety precautions are in place. Clients increasingly expect their suppliers to maintain safety precautions, which may include installing safety light curtains and safety switches.
The key takeaway here is not to install safety components merely for client audits, but rather to protect your employees from hazardous workplaces by genuinely integrating safety measures into your machines. Safety light curtains are an essential part of creating a safer and more efficient work environment.
Importance of Safety Light Curtain with Example:
Here I would like to share one incident:
One of my client has a punching machine. Many times I discussed and suggested a Safety Light Curtain for their machine. Whenever I suggested their answer is simple “Mohan, For many years we are running/operating punching machines. Still date we haven’t got any accidents, Our operators are well trained to operate these types of machines. If I install a Safety Light Curtain for this machine it is an additional expense to us. So we don’t want to install it.”
After 6-7 months, I got the news that the client had the same punching machine, and an accident happened. The operator’s right hand was seriously injured.
What I am going to say here is “Cost-cutting is important, But don’t compromise safety to save your operators from dangerous machine areas. It is Bad for your company and their family is going to suffer. ”
If you use normal Traditional Safeguarding To open mechanical barriers and Close mechanical barriers, production speed is going to take more time. If you use Safety Light Curtain faster machine loading/unloading operations.
How Does a Safety Light Curtain Work?
Mainly Safety Light Curtain consists of TWO parts that are Transmitter & Receiver. (Same as Through Beam Photoelectric Sensors)
Safety Light Curtain Transmitter Consists of several Light Emitting Diodes (LED) it will emit Infrared lights to the receiver. With a specific frequency, it will emit Infrared Signals. And the Other side the Safety Light Curtain Receiver Receives Infrared signals with a specific frequency.
When an object passes through Emitter and Receiver, That object interrupts the receiver signal.
(In Simple, a continuous emitter will send a signal to the receiver, then everything fine machine will work continuously. Suppose If I interrupt signals, or In-between Emitter and receiver signal I inserted my hand, so through my hand infrared won’t reach to Receiver. so the receiver is not getting signals. Then immediately Receiver will send a signal to the controller to stop the machine immediately. )
I hope you get some idea about What is a Safety Light Curtain and How does a Safety Light Curtain Works.
We need to learn more about the Safety Light Curtain, Let’s go.
Varieties of Safety Light Curtains:
There are TWO Types of Varieties there. Those are Point of Operation Control (POC) Safety Light Curtain and Perimeter Access Control (PAC) Safety Light Curtains.
Point of Operation Control (POC) Safety Light Curtains: These POC Safety Light Curtains are designed to protect on a small scale. To protect hands, fingers, and arms. These POC Safety Light Curtains are generally located very close to the machine, directly where the operator will be interacting with machines.
When Finger, Hand, Arm detects a dangerous location in or around the machine at the wrong time, POC Safety Light Curtain will send a signal to the Machine controller to shut down to prevent injury.
Perimeter Access Control (PAC) Safety Light Curtains: These PAC Safety Light Curtains are designed to protect the full body. PAC Safety Light Curtains essentially create like a fence around machines that don’t require close usage by the machine operators and are designed to detect people or objects when they enter into the light barrier.
In simple terms, PAC Safety Light Curtains, Operators are not going to contact the machines directly, but they will reach very near to the Machine.
Both Point of Operation Control (POC) Safety Light Curtain and Perimeter Access Control (PAC) Safety Light Curtains work in the same way. The only real difference between PAC & POC is the usage of situations.
Types of Safety Light Curtains:
Whenever you are selecting a Safety Light Curtain, Commonly this word we will hear is “Which Type of Safety Light Curtain, Is it Type 2 or Type 4?”
Now you are going to get an idea about What is the difference between Type 2 & Type 4 Safety Light Curtain.
In Simple, Here I Explain
Type 4: When the level of risk is higher, we need to use much higher safety standards, that is Type 4 safety Light Curtains. It will detect and immediately send a signal to shut down a machine (Safety function is continuously monitored) which means a Shorter response time. It is more expensive because it’s offering more features. Type 4 Safety Light Curtains are used almost exclusively as a Primary Safety Component. It’s available for finger, hand, and body detection.
Then coming to the Type 2
Type 2: Type 2 Safety Light Curtains, on the other hand, is a simple optical safety device. This type is designed for situations where the level of risk is lower. Type 2 has less safety features so we can’t use it in high-risk areas. Sometimes this Type-2 Safety Light Curtain won’t detect immediately, which means the Safety function is monitored periodically and response time is long. So if you use this Type 2 for critical applications it’s very dangerous. It is cheaper than Type 4 Safety Light Curtains because it will offer less features. It will be used sometimes for secondary protection safety components. It’s available for hand and body detection.
Which Type of Light Curtain Is Right for Your Machine:
There are a lot of factors that will play when deciding on safety light curtain types. You have to know what level of protection you’re looking for: Point of Operation Control (POC) Safety Light Curtain and Perimeter Access Control (PAC) Safety Light Curtains. And you have to know what risk level your machine is.
The risk level is one of the most important things when you are choosing a Safety Light Curtain type. And some of the question we need to ask to choose the type of light curtain those are How often are people exposed to this machine, How often is an injury to occur, How severe is that potential injury etc.,
Not every application will require a Type 4 device. Even though type 2 devices are a lesser option, for certain machines, they are all that is required. Alternatively, some machines only require type 4 devices as the added level of protection is required for the application.
I hope you learned something new in this chapter. In the next chapter, we are going to discuss Specifications in the Safety Light Curtain.
Chapter 3
Specifications of the Safety Light Curtain
In this chapter we are going to learn about what are the specifications are there in Safety Light Curtain. And why we need to know about Safety Light Curtain Specifications. To choose a safety light curtain we need to know some of the important Specifications Like beam height, Type of Safety Light Curtain, Protective Height, What is Beam Gap, How many beams required, What is Resolution, Safety Light Curtain Output Signals, About interlocking, Muting, Scanning range, Types of Connections etc.,
Are you ready? Let’s Start!
Why Should We Know About Specifications?
Every Safety Light Curtain manufactures have hundreds and thousands of models are there in the Safety Light Curtain product. We can’t use any safety light curtain for any applications. Based on Specification we need to finalize Safety Light Curtain for our applications.
Without any idea about Specifications, we can’t read and understand any Datasheet. Understanding Datasheet also one of the important things.
Lets’s break one by one what are the common specifications in Safety Light Curtain.
What is the Operating Range?
The Operating Range is nothing but the distance between the Emitter and Receiver. Some of the models have Fixed distance, Some models having selectable range or Auto-adjusting. Based on your application correctly we need to check then only it will perfectly fit your application.
Some of the common mistakes people make when choosing a Safety Light Curtain is they will choose a long-range device for short-distance applications, reflections off nearby surfaces may make the installation unsafe. On the other hand, a long-range device may be required for protecting large areas which require a high beam.
Types of Safety Light Curtain?
As we discussed in chapter-2, There 2 types of Safety Light Curtains are.
Type 4 Safety Light Curtain: When the level of risk is higher, we need to use much higher safety standards, that is Type 4 safety Light Curtains.
Type 2 Safety Light Curtain: This type is designed for situations where the level of risk is lower.
What is Protective Height?
The height of a Safety Light Curtain must be chosen based on the access to the hazard.
For example, if a light curtain is protecting against “point protection” then the light curtain must cover the whole aperture. However, if the Safety product is for access protection then different heights can be used based on the number of beams required and the height from the floor plus possible reach over.
What is Beam Gap?
In the Safety Light Curtain, Emitter consists of Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s), It will emit the light, this light we can call it is a Beam. The gap or distance between the two beams is nothing Beam gap.
Why beam gap is important? If your application is Finger protection. If you select Beam Gap is high then it won’t suitable for your finger protection application. Just keep in mind.
What is the Number of Beams?
Okay, Based on your application you are going to choose Protective Height, And When you are selecting Beam application maybe Finger Protection, Hand Protection, Aram Protection, and Body Protection. The number of Beams is depending on protective height and application.
In simple, As we know Emitter will send LED Infrared Light. How many LEDs need to send Infrared Light is nothing but a Number of Beams. Suppose your application is Finger protection If Beam Gap is less and Number beams are less what’s going to happen? I hope now you understood.
What is the Interlocking Function?
In Simple, The interlock function sets an interlock under specific conditions. An interlock is when the machine operation is stopped and, for Safety Light Curtains, control outputs are turned OFF.
Start/Restart Interlock: The Safety Sensor is interlocked when the power is turned ON and the Sensor beam is interrupted.
Start Interlock: The Safety Sensor is interlocked only after the power is turned ON.
Restart Interlock: The Safety Sensor is interlocked only when the Sensor beam is interrupted.
What is the Muting Function?
In Simple, The Muting function is the automatic cut-out of the light curtain protective function in relation to the machine cycle. Muting can only occur in a safety condition.
In the Same applications, we need to mute some Beams (LED Beams). Suppose one converse application we are using Protection height is 700mm, the number of beams is 34. My requirement is sometimes / frequently Boxes need to cross Light Curtain beams nearly 5 beams. If breams are interrupted automatically conveyor is going to stop. But Here Box passing through the Light curtain bottom 5 beams is an application. So we can mute that. That means if any box passes through those selected 5 beams it’s not going to give a signal to the controller to stop the conveyor.
The Muting function is available on both Type 2 and Type 4 safety light curtains. Based on our application we can use the muting function.
What is the Resolution?
In the field, we can call it with different names like Sensing capability, minimum object sensitivity, or detection capability – which is the ability of an optical system to reliably detect an object anywhere within the sensing field.
This ensures an object of that size cross-section or larger will always be detected and issued a stop command. Safety light screens typically are grouped based on sensing capability and include high-resolution, medium-resolution, and low-resolution.
Higher-resolution light curtains are usually more expensive compare to lower resolutions, but switching to a lower resolution means that the distance between the safety light curtain and the hazard needs to be increased which may be impractical or not possible on the factory floor.
What is the PNP/NPN Selection?
In Sensors generally, we will discuss Outputs are PNP or NPN (If it’s 3 wire) Safety Light Curtain also same like Sensors (Same Like Photoelectric Sensors) but these Safety Sensors are manufacturing with safety standards.
Then Coming to our PNP/NPN Selection, mostly it will depend on the controller that means Safety Light Curtain won’t stop the machine it will send a signal to Controller Controller will send a signal to the Motor than the machine needs to stop or it will break the power supply to the machine. So what I am going to say here is based on the Controller you need to choose Safety Light Curtain Output also.
What is the Cable Type & Connector Type?
Cable Type: Safety Light Curtain includes/ consists of wire. That means the bottom of the Safety Light Curtain wire will come (Pre-wire). Directly we need to install it into the controller. Whenever you want to replace first you need to remove the wiring in the controller and then need to remove mountings again need to replace them with a new one. Again when you are doing wiring be careful.
Connector Type: The bottom of the Safety Light Curtain consists of a connector (Male Pin). When we are doing installation we should have a separate Cable(One Edge is Cable wire, Other Edge is Connector-Female Pin). One of the most plus points is If the safety Light Curtain is not working and you want to replace it with a new one Just remove the connector (Male-Female) Just Replace New Safety Light Curtain and add connectors (Male-Female). It is an Easy Maintenance.
I hope most of the important specifications I covered in Safety Light Curtain. If you want to select any model in any brand these specifications must be required.
Chapter 4
How to Choose the Safety Light Curtains?
To use a safety light curtain in your machine you must have an Idea about which model is suitable for our application. In this chapter, we are going to discuss or learn step by step How to select the perfect Safety Light Curtain for your application.
Let’s start!
As I observe in the field most of the people don’t understand or Read Datasheet. A common issue in any industry suppose immediately you want a safety light curtain, you called to your Safety Light Curtain suppliers or Safety Light Curtain Dealers. They are not picking your call or they are responding. What you will do? Don’t upset.
The real fact is nearly 90-95% of all brand models have equivalent in different brands. If you know how to read the existing Safety Light Curtain Model Datasheet, Whatever data you required if you collect easily you can select another brand.
Once you select Safety Light curtain, Just cross-check with the new Safety Light Curtain brand.
“At present, we are using XYZ model, for a replacement I selected you to brand this ABCD model I finalizes can you cross-check from your side also ”. After cross-checking your selection. if is perfect after 2 or 3 times you selected the correct model number you will get confidence.
I don’t waste your time, Let’s understand How to Choose the perfect safety Light Curtain for your application.
Step 1: Check Certification
In Safety products, Certifications are the most important thing. When you are selecting or finalizing the brand for the Safety component we need to know those brands have Safety Certifications or not. Sometimes some people using Area Sensors instead of Safety Light Curtain. It’s a really bad thing and very dangerous.
Some of the common certifications are ISO 13849-1, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508 etc., So before deciding brand you must check certification. You can check those details on their website or call them and ask them what are certification your safety components having.
Step 2: Understand about Machine Installed Environment
A most common mistake when you are selecting a safety Light Curtain is they are not thinking about where they are going to install like what is the Temperature, excess moisture, and other aspects that can easily damage equipment. Light curtains need to be resistant to these pressures.
Suppose your machine is High Temperature or has excess moisture and you are going to buy your new Safety Light Curtain in Leuze Brand.
First, you need to know if the Leuze brand series is suitable for a High-Temperature workplace or high moisture place.
If you check their website briefly they are going to mention Advanced features, So briefly we need to observe all the series. If 3-4 models (More models) offer this feature Just keep those 3-4 models in note/paper. Later we will finalize one Series and one model.
Step 3: Special Features like Muting, Interlocking (Based on Your Application)
This step completely depends on your application. If you don’t Special Features like Muting, Interlocking etc., kindly ignore this step.
Already you have an idea about Muting, Interlocking. In Step 2 you selected 3-4 series, In that series whatever features you want, is that feature available or not. If those features available then go for Step 4.
Step 4: Selection of Types
You should have a clear idea about which one you want to detect like Finger, Hand, Arm, Body.
As we discussed in Chapter 2, We have an Idea about Type 2 & Type 4.
Type 4 Safety Light Curtain: When the level of risk is higher, we need to use much higher safety standards, that is Type 4 safety Light Curtains.
Type 2 Safety Light Curtain: This type is designed for situations where the level of risk is lower.
Based on your application you need to decide Type 4 or Type 2 which one suitable for your application. Suppose for your application you need Type 4, In step-1 you selected 3-4 Series in that series which series are offering Type 4 options. Suppose 2-3 Series only offering Type 4.
Now you have only 2-3 series. Already you know in 1 series 100 models are there. Our ultimate goal is in 1 series 1 model we need to finalize.
Step 5: What Detection Capability Does It Have? (Resolution)
The resolution or detection capability of a light curtain refers to the amount of separation between its laser beams. There are many different resolution options. For example, a 14mm resolution is appropriate for finger detection and is used when the curtain is placed very close to the source of hazardous motion. Hand detection is achieved with a 25-30mm resolution.
Step 6: The Protective Height
We know what is protective height. Am I right? Yes, In the before chapter we already discussed.
Here is the important thing is Height Safety Light Curtain you want (mm). Don’t ignore this step because for your application you want 2000 mm, but you selected 1000 mm then it is not going fit for your application. Same as if you want 1000 mm heigh but you selected 2000 mm heigh Safety Light Curtain then when you are going to install then you are going to face a problem. Sometimes 100 mm difference also matters be careful about that.
Step 7: What’s the Minimum Safety Distance?
You have already an idea about Sensing distance, already you selected 3-4 series in a particular brand, then go through those datasheets and check and what are Sensing Distance or safety distance are there.
Before you are going to observe in the datasheet for your machine, you need to know how much sensing distance you required. Once you have an idea about this then you go through the datasheet and check in this series our required sensing distance is available or not.
Step 8: Safety Light Curtain Output (PNP/NPN)
As I explained in the previous chapter Safety Light Curtain won’t stop the machine directly. Safety Light Curtain will send a signal to the Controller and the Controller will give the command to motors/ power supply. it will break the power supply to the machine.
So based on the controller you should select PNP or NPN output for your application.
Step 9: Connection Type
This step is not that much important. But don’t ignore it. Prewire or Connector type which one is the best choice for you just think over it and decide it.
Prewire type is somewhat economical and Connector type Cable separately we need to purchase it somewhat price is high. (Sometimes based on Brands wise Prices are wise versa).
Mostly these specifications are enough to finalize to safety Light Curtain for your application. If I miss any important step please let me know through the mail I will update it.
Chapter 5
How to Install the Safety Light Curtain
After selection of the Safety Light Curtain, we need to know how to Install Safety Light Curtain in the Field. And what are the precaution you need to take at the time of installation?
So In this Chapter, I will explain how you need to install Safety Light Curtain in the field.
Let’s Start..!
Soon We Will Update this Chapter!
Chapter 6
Applications of the Safety Light Curtain
Where can we use Safety Light Curtain in the Industry? As we know we can Safety Light Curtain for Finger Protection, Hand Protection, Arm Protection, and Body Protection.
In this chapter, I will show you at present at which place people are using Safety Light Curtain in their industry.
Let’s get started!
When I visit some clients, If I ask them are you using Safety Light Curtain in your industry? Their answer will be No Mohan, For our application Safety Light Curtain is not Required. Sometimes they allow to me, and they will tell just go through our workstation and analyze where we need to install it in our machine. And Some people will ask you can show images or some of the applications where Safety Light Curtains are using. Based on that we can understand In which application we can use a safety light curtain.
What I am suggesting to you is When you affected by a machine accident in your workplace that time if you realize the importance of the Safety Light Curtain it’s not a great thing. If analyze before you can save your machine operator from the accident.
Now I hope you get some Idea where can we use Safety Light Curtain in your Machine. For most of these images, I collect some of the Top Safety Light Curtain Manufacturers Catalog.
It’s time for the Next Chapter.
Chapter 7
Safety Light Curtain Trouble Shooting
When you install a new safety light curtain and sometimes an existing safety light curtain won’t work. At that time we need to do some basic Safety Light Curtain Troubleshooting activity.
Here I am listing out some of the Basic & Common Safety Light Curtain Troubleshooting activities. Sometimes it will make your Safety Light Curtain working fine.
Are you ready to know those troubleshooting steps, Let’s start!
Soon we will update this chapter.
Chapter 8
Top 21 Manufactures of the Safety Light Curtain
When you required Safety Light Curtain for your application, you need to know which brands are manufacturing safety light curtains. In this chapter, I will show you who the Top 21 Safety Light Curtain Manufactures are.
Let’s start!
When you plan to purchase Safety Light curtain for your application, you need to do some assignments. What are those? Suppose you analyzed your application and you have an idea of what are specifications you want. My humble request is don’t purchase just like that. Do some researches when you finalize the Safety Light Curtain for your application?
How to do research?
Below I am sharing the Top 21 Safety Light Curtain Manufactures based on the Indian market these brands fast-moving Safety Light Curtain Brands in India. If a possible minimum of 5-6 brands you can in the local area is there any Sales & Service team is it available or not. Compare to price Service support is the most important thing to choose the Safety Light Curtain brand. If you are doubt about the model just ask Safety Light Curtain Dealers, Safety Light Curtain Suppliers, or Safety Light Curtain Distributors for a demo.
Let’s check who are the Top 21 Safety Light Curtain Manufactures:
I hope you like this “The Top 21 Safety Light Curtain Manufactures“.
Some of the above-mentioned brands supplying material directly to the clients, or through dealers, distributors they supply to the clients, and some of the brands not supplying in India. In that case no need to worry. If you share Technical Details with the known brands they can give the exact equivalent. Only 1-2% only Customized Controllers (We can’t get equivalent).