AiVibeSafety Light Curtain
A safety light curtain is a safety-rated sensor with an array of infrared beams between a transmitter and a receiver; interrupting any beam switches its outputs so that the machine or robot is brought to a safe stop.
Light curtains are electro-sensitive protective equipment covered by the IEC 61496 series, with active opto-electronic protective devices addressed in IEC 61496-2. Their resolution, the smallest object reliably detected, determines whether they protect fingers, hands or the whole body. Type 4 devices are intended for higher-risk applications than Type 2 devices. Muting and blanking functions let material pass through without stopping the machine while people are still detected.
Light curtains guard the openings of robot cells, presses, packaging machines and palletisers, especially where operators load parts frequently or pallets pass through. Muting with additional sensors distinguishes a pallet on a conveyor from a person walking in.
The minimum distance between the light curtain and the hazard must be calculated from the machine stopping time, device response time, resolution and human approach speed, as described in ISO 13855. Light curtains cannot protect against ejected parts or fluids. Installation and validation follow the manufacturer's instructions and are carried out by qualified personnel.
Key points
- An array of beams that triggers a safe stop when interrupted
- Covered by IEC 61496-1 and IEC 61496-2
- Resolution determines finger, hand or body detection
- Safety distance is calculated according to ISO 13855
Where AiVibe comes in
AiVibe designs and manufactures the AiAmbA AI Factory, whose edge devices and AI agents let people talk to robot controllers in plain language. Robotics perception is an AiAmbA use case, and robot safety functions follow ISO 10218 and never depend on the AI layer.