Light curtains

Light curtains play an important role in any workplace that operates dangerous machinery. They protect anyone who is in the vicinity of this machinery by pausing operation if they detect a person nearby.

Light curtains go by various names: banner light curtains, safety light curtain sensors, laser curtain sensor, laser light curtains, and industrial light curtains are among these. Whatever your term of choice, you'll find plenty of options in our online store!

We stock a wide range of light curtains for different purposes, with various sizes and sensing ranges. You'll find options from a range of leading manufacturers, such as Banner Engineering, Omron Safety, and Leuze.

With thousands of products in stock, you might need a hand finding the right one for your needs! So, you'll find advanced filters on this page to simplify your search. You can filter according to the manufacturer, sensing range, length, height, and the number of beams.

Browse the full range of laser light curtains in our store today! For more information, read on to find out more about the functionality of this product. If you'd like to ask us a question directly, just get in touch with us and our team of friendly experts will be happy to help you!

What are light curtains?

Safety light curtains are photoelectric safety devices put in place to protect personnel. They do this by automatically pausing the operation of dangerous equipment if they sense someone nearby. The light curtain consists of two main components that allow them to do this.

• The transmitter is comprised of a number of LEDs. These LEDs send infrared light pulses to the receiver. Pulses are emitted in a particular sequence and each one emits its own frequency.
• The receiver pairs with the transmitter. It's designed to expect to receive the pulses in the set sequence and timing. This lessens the chances of other light sources affecting the safety function.

If an object passes between the transmitter and the receiver, this interrupts the pulse reception. This then triggers the pausing of the connected machinery.

What kind of light curtains are there?

Light curtains can be categorized according to their two main uses:

Point of operation

These safety light curtains are dedicated to protecting people in the vicinity of one piece of equipment.

Perimeter

Safety light curtains can also be used on a larger scale, to indicate the entire boundary of a working area, or even a whole room. This can come in useful for spaces that house large pieces of moving machinery, for example.

What benefits do light curtains offer?

Light curtains provide benefits that physical barriers can't offer. One of the main advantages is that a light curtain makes it easier to conduct routine maintenance and semi-manual processes.

Their self-monitoring circuitry provides an effective safeguard that a physical barrier would find harder to achieve, giving you reassurance and security.

Light curtains are an essential way to stay compliant with safety standards as well. Safety inspections of industrial areas often find instances of inadequate machine safeguarding.

What are the key things to consider when choosing light curtains?

There are a few key things to consider when choosing light curtain sensors.

Sensing range

One of the main questions to ask yourself when shopping for light curtains is: what range do you want it to cover? You can get light curtains covering a range of .25-12mm or any number of sizes up to 60m.

Level of sensitivity

Some light curtains are more sensitive than others, so make sure that you know what level of protection you need before you make your purchase. Point of Operation Control (POC) light curtains typically protect people who operate at close quarters - protecting hands, fingers and other limbs working in proximity to potentially dangerous machinery. If you are looking for something that offers whole-body protection, you'll need to purchase a Perimeter Access Control (PAC) safety light curtain as they create a security 'fence' around machinery.

Number of beams

The more beams your light curtain has, the more security it offers. A higher number of beams usually equates to a higher level laser curtain, making it harder to circumvent.

As a guideline, you'll want to ensure the lowest beam is no more than 30cm above the floor and the highest beam should be at least 90cm above the floor.

Why buy your light curtains from RS?

With light curtains from RS, you can protect your personnel from the harmful potential of dangerous equipment. It's often inconvenient and inadequate to simply use a physical barrier, so the more sophisticated solution offered by laser curtain sensors is exactly what you need.

Ordering and receiving your goods couldn't be simpler than it is with RS. As one of North America's largest electronics distributors, we've got a streamlined process designed to help you get your products as quickly as possible.

And if you're in need of any extra support or guidance, check out our expert advice hub, where you will find some informative articles and guides.