Question

Explain the operation of the safety (Light) Curtain?

Answer 1

Safety light curtains are an advanced method of safeguarding personnel around many hazardous machines. Safety light curtains offer freedom, flexibility and reduced operator fatigue when compared with traditional guarding methods such as mechanical barriers, sliding gates and pull-back restraints. By reducing the need, where applicable, for solid guards, safety light curtains simplify routine tasks like machine setup, maintenance and repair.

How They Work
A photoelectric transmitter projects an array of synchronized, parallel infrared light beams to a receiver unit. When an opaque object interrupts one or more beams in the sensing field, the control logic of the light curtain sends a stop signal to the guarded machine.

The transmitter unit contains light emitting diodes (LEDs) that emit pulses of invisible infrared light when energized by the light curtain’s timing and logic circuitry. The light pulses are both sequenced – one LED is energized after another – and modulated – pulsed at a specific frequency. Corresponding phototransistors and supporting circuitry in the receiving unit are designed to detect only the specific pulse and frequency designated for it. These techniques offer enhanced safety and rejection of external light sources. The control logic, user controls and diagnostic indicators may be contained in a separate enclosure or be enclosed in the same housing as the receiver electronics.