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Dynamic Work Environments
Many industrial settings involve mobile machinery or
frequently changing work configurations. Traditional
fixed guards may not be practical in these
environments. Cobots are a good example: these
machines are specifically meant to work alongside
humans, so putting permanent barriers between
workers and machines is not an option.
Harsh Manufacturing Environments
Besides fatigue and dynamic work environments,
the harsh conditions of manufacturing spaces
also compromise safety. Dust, liquids, and
electromagnetic interference (EMI) can affect the
performance and reliability of safety equipment.
Safety devices must be resilient enough to withstand
these threats and ensure continuous protection.
Addressing Industrial Safety Challenges
Proper onboarding and safe practices can go a long
way toward reducing injury risk in the industrial
workplace. Unfortunately, processes only work when
employees follow them—which people won't always
do.
Another key challenge is balancing the need for
protection with operational efficiency. Overly
restrictive safety measures can impede workflow,
while insufficient safeguards put workers at
risk. Modern safety technologies must offer
robust protection without significantly hindering
productivity.
In short, industrial organizations need safeguards
that are flexible, reliable, simple to deploy, and easy
to maintain. TE's Safety Light Curtains (Figure 1)
fulfill all these requirements. Built to withstand
harsh manufacturing environments, these safety
light curtains provide reliable protection against
dust, liquids, and EMI. Additionally, they offer ease
of access during machine maintenance without
needing to remove physical guards, such as grids or
gates.
Figure 1: Component diagram of TE's Safety Light Curtains. (Source: TE Connectivity)
