IDEC SE2L safety laser scanner

IDEC Corporation has introduced the SE2L safety laser scanner, claimed to be the world's smallest and the world's first with master/slave functionality and dual protection zones.

Master/slave functionality allows one scanner to act as master and communicate with up to three other scanners. The safety controller only needs to communicate with the master, reducing the required number of input and communication channels on the controller. This can allow safety controllers to be used in applications such as providing full 360° protection for an AGV, which requires four scanners.

Dual zone protection allows one scanner to scan two adjacent zones simultaneously and independently, performing the work of two scanners for the cost of one. A common application is providing dual light curtain protection for two robots mounted side by side. In many applications, dual zone protection cuts costs in half.

The scanner provides a standard 270° arc of protection at a distance up to 20 m; this protection area can be configured into any pattern using software provided with the scanner or with the scanner’s teach mode. Up to 32 patterns can be stored in the scanner; different patterns can be selected and applied on the fly by sending commands to the scanner through the Ethernet port or by configuring the encoder input to react to changes in speed.

The scanner is certified for use in Safety Category 3, Performance Level d (PLd), SIL2 applications. It is housed in an IP65 enclosure.