36 Advancements in Industrial Automation
A Smarter Approach to Industrial
Safety
Designed to cover the majority of modern industrial
applications, TE's Safety Light Curtains (SLC)
product range provides hand, body, and finger
protection for industrial personnel, serving as
a versatile and cost-effective replacement for
physical guards. Once installed, they emit multiple
parallel beams of light at various resolutions
between their emitter and receiver. If nothing is
blocking these beams, the machine will operate as
normal. However, the moment even a single beam
is blocked, the machine stops, making it a highly
effective means of preventing injury in the event of
operator distraction or fatigue and tampering.
The SLCs are available in two primary formats: SLC4
and SLC2 (Table 1). The SLC4 range is designed
for higher-risk applications and adheres to more
stringent safety standards. The SLC2 range is
slightly less robust, with fewer resolution options
than the SLC4.
Table 1. SLC4 vs. SLC2 (Source: TE Connectivity)
SLC4 Range SLC2 Range
Safety Level Type 4/ SIL 3 - SILCL 3 | PL e - Cat. 4 Type 2/SIL 1 - SILCL 1 | PL c - Cat. 2
Resolution Options (mm) 14, 20, 30, 40, 50, 90 30, 40, 50, 90
Operating Range
3 to 6m for 1 mm resolution
4 to 12m for all other models
10 to 20m for L versions
4m or 12m
Response Time 2.5 to 20ms 2.5 to 18.5ms
Compact and robust, the SLCs' components have
a minimal cross-section of 28mm × 30mm. Each
device is housed in a powder-coated aluminum
casing with IP67 and IP65 ratings to protect against
dirt, dust, and liquids. The system is also rated for
temperatures between −30°C and +55°C.
Perhaps most notable is that both the SLC4 and SLC2
are designed to be entirely plug-and-play. The emitter
and receiver can be connected to industrial machinery
via M12 connectors without requiring any programming,
providing user-friendly diagnostic information and
alignment assistance via onboard LEDs. This ease of
use also makes the SLC products easy to repurpose in
response to changing application needs.
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Safety Light
Curtains
