Rockwell light curtains guard robotic work cells
The rise of robots has ushered in an increased demand for light curtains that provide a safe work environment between the robotic work cells and the rest of the plant. The Allen-Bradley GuardShield 450L safety light curtain system from Rockwell Automation is a flexible, cost-effective solution that enhances safety while improving productivity through innovative transceiver technology.
“Users will see significant advantages throughout the lifecycle of the new light curtain system, but especially during installation and operation,” said Manfred Stein, global product manager for safety light curtains at Rockwell Automation.
The Integrated Laser Alignment System (ILAS) of the new GuardShield 450L-E reduces installation time by providing multiple visible laser points that optimize setup with a simple touch of the ILAS symbol on the front window of the stick. Plus, the compact design and full-length protective field make it easy to integrate a GuardShield 450L-E system in hand and finger protection applications from 150mm up to 1950mm in increments of 150 mm (0.5 foot).
After start-up, users can leverage advanced features and functionality, including cascading, built-in muting and blanking, to enhance flexibility while maintaining the highest level of safety.
The advanced muting and blanking functions of the GuardShield 450L-E light curtain are easily set up through DIP switches located on the dedicated plug-in modules. Common muting set ups like 4-sensor or 2-sensor with L- and T-configuration and override function can be selected as well as reduced resolution or teach in fixed blanking. A cascading plug-in can also be installed for series connection of additional GuardShield 450L Safety Light Curtain systems, enabling multi-sided machine guarding.
All these special functions combined with the inherent flexibility of the GuardShield 450L transceiver design help to simplify engineering logistics and minimize the stock required to address the full range of applications.
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