Keywords
Citation
(2005), "Light curtain becomes more discriminating", Sensor Review, Vol. 25 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/sr.2005.08725aad.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Light curtain becomes more discriminating
Light curtain becomes more discriminating
Keywords: Safety, Automotive industry, Sensors
The latest Type 4 C4000 safety light curtains from Erwin Sick use revolutionary “dynamic blanking” technology to reliably discriminate between people and materials as they enter or leave hazardous areas in a plant.
The C4000 automatically learns the profiles of objects passing through the curtain, letting skids and platens through, but triggering an alarm if a person attempts to enter a hazardous area. This makes the device ideal for the automotive industry. (Plate 1).
Plate 1
The Type 4 C4000 safety light curtains are ideal for the automotive
industry
The state-of-the-art device has a working range from 0.5 to 19 m and a resolution of 20 mm. It learns object profiles by monitoring the size of the parts of an object, and their separation, as it passes through the curtain at speeds up to 2 m/s. Users can also specify a maximum allowable object size.
Measurements are so precise that the curtain can tell the difference between different transport skids and an operator's legs. Sophisticated algorithms in the curtain can detect someone walking by the convergence of their legs. Users benefit from a safer working environment and fewer false alarms, increasing productivity.
Sick's blanking technology means that the C4000 is always active and does not mute, so there is no need for muting sensors or moveable barriers to prevent false alarms, saving installation and maintenance costs. The curtain is a standard compact device and is simple to retrofit in an existing installation.
Users can easily configure and monitor the C4000 over the PROFIsafe fieldbus, and the device will soon be compatible with other open fieldbus protocols. Sick offers a decentralised bus module for this purpose. It is also possible to configure an individual curtain through its RS232 interface, and to operate it in relay – or PLC- based environments.
The device is certified to BSEN 61496, Parts 1 and 2, Type 4 and IEC 61508, SIL 3.
For more information, Please contact: Tel: 01727 831121; Fax: 01727 856767; E-mail: info@sick.co.uk; Web site: www.sick.co.uk