New advanced multifunction light curtains with no dead zones

The main feature of these light curtains is that they can be manually or software configured for standard, blanking or direct muting capability, with an extra bonus in that the devices can be cascaded.

Light curtains with no dead zones

With the top and bottom beams located at the extremes of the receiver/transmitter, there are no dead zones; these light curtains can therefore be fitted into tighter spots without extraneous housing getting in the way.

Hand protection in corners

They can also be butted directly up to each other without any loss of protection (for example full hand protection in corners at right-angle joints).

Cascading

If necessary, the PSENopt Advanced safety light curtains can be butted up and cascaded where a protected profile of greater than 1800mm is required, without any loss of protection. Electrical cascading can be carried out on up to three pairs (one master and two slaves).

33 types of advanced multifunction light curtain

The new Advanced range consists of 33 types covering Type 2 hand (30mm) and Type 4 finger (14mm) and hand (30mm) resolution, at protected heights ranging from 300mm to 1800mm, with operating ranges of 0.5 to 20m. The light curtains are supplied with sliding fixing brackets, and a separate cascading bracket it also available. Reaction times are as fast as 11.9ms. The devices are TUV certified to EN 61496-1, IEC 60508 to SIL 3 and EN ISO 13849-1 to PLe.

Connections can be made at the top or bottom of these light curtains via easy-to-fix 18-pole pigtail leads, of which there is an emitter type and two receiver types, one for normal or blanking use, and one for muting which will accept two independent, hardwired muting inputs (as required in IEC/TS 62046) directly into the receiver.

Basic configuration made easy

The light curtains can be manually configured, not using traditional, fiddly DIP switches but via a stylus and three recessed membrane soft keys (confirm, select, enable) in what is known as BCM (basic configuration mode). In this mode blanking can be set (two fixed zones or floating one or two or four beams). LEDs are used to aid configuration, as well alignment, and to provide advanced diagnostics once the light curtain is commissioned.

Advanced configuration

Greater programming flexibility is available in ACM (advanced configuration mode) using an Ethernet interface adaptor and the free PSENopt Configurator software. In this mode up to five fixed blanking zones can be set, and the number of floating blanking beams is selectable. Muting options can be set here too (cross beam, parallel beam, muting period, override, etc).

The Ethernet interface module is also intended for Cloning, and Remote Monitoring/Logging so repeat configurations can be faster and fault-finding made easy for maximum uptime. Online the status of individual beams, the safety outputs (OSSDs), muting and blanking can all be monitored and logged.

PSENopt Configurator software can be used online or offline, and there are three levels of password protection to ensure safety configurations cannot be tampered with by, for example, maintenance engineers using the software for online diagnostics.

Coding

It is also possible to code individual pairs of receiver and transmitter to modulate at frequencies so as avoid interference with or from other pairs located close by. The coding function enables the light curtain to operate normally even if an interference condition occurs with another light curtain. This is particularly true if the transmitter of the first light curtain emits beams in the direction of the receiver of the second light curtain.

Pilz also offers a range of protective stands, mirrors and IP6k9k tubes. Together with Pilz PNOZ or PSS controllers, PLe and SIL 3 safety systems can be built. Pilz also offers an accredited Stop Performance Monitoring test service to assist users in determining the correct safe distance at which light curtains (and other safeguarding measures) must be placed in accordance with EN ISO 13855.

Pilz has prepared a short animation that demonstrates the functionality of these new light curtains: Light curtains PSENopt - safety with perspective.

Follow the link for more information about the PSENopt Advanced safety light curtains. Alternatively, telephone +44 (0)1536 460766 or email [email protected] to discuss particular applications.