Safety light curtains have muting function

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October 2007 Sensors & Transducers

The Janus M Type 4 safety light curtains from ReeR reliably protect personnel working in high-risk industrial applications and where a muting function is necessary.

Janus M Type 4 safety light curtains from ReeR can be applied where a muting function is necessary

The MI series features dedicated connections for connecting external muting sensors such as photocells, proximity sensors and limit switches with the muting function operating in both one-way and two-way modes. A wide range of models offer protected heights from 310 mm to 1,8 m with a resolution of 30, 40 and 90 mm, as well as models with one, three or four beams providing the solution for diverse application problems. MI long-range models have an operating range up to 60 m.

The ML series with two or three beams, detects the presence of a person in a 1 to 2,5 m range. They use horizontal arms with built-in pre-wired and pre-aligned photoelectric muting sensors, which do not require any adjustment. The muting function is operated in a one-way mode making the ML series particularly suitable for protecting the outfeed gates of palletising systems. Special models are also available for correct detection of transparent objects.

The ML series features four horizontal arms, two for the emitter and two for the receiver, with built-in pre-wired and pre-aligned photoelectric muting sensors that do not require any adjustment. They operate in a 1 to 2,5 m range.

Janus M safety light curtains have a 7 to 30 ms response time with a seven-segment display and LEDs for self-diagnosis and light curtain status. They meet IP65 protection requirements and have a built-in override function. Special models conforming to the ATEX directive are available on request for applications in potentially explosive atmospheres. Versions are also available with watertight housings for use in the food industry.

Muting

Muting is the provisional and automatic cut-out of the light curtain protective function in relation to the machine cycle. Muting can only occur in a safety condition.

This function proves indispensable when, during the normal automatic cycle of a system, the light curtain has to be interrupted by some of the machine parts or materials being processed, without resulting in the machine stoppage.

A typical instance of this is a palletising system, where the palletised product must be able to go through the gate controlled by the light curtain, whilst the passage of a person must stop the system at once.

Therefore the safety system must be able to distinguish between:

* Materials authorised to go through the light curtain.

* People not authorised to go through the light curtain.

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Safety light curtains have muting function

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