Pilz Unveils IO-Link Safety Light Curtain and Multi-Function Radar

Pilz, an industry leader in safety hardware, has announced two new product lines designed to enhance safety around moving machinery. First, the new PSENopt II Advanced light curtain provides live data over IO-Link Safety. Second, the PSENradar live safety radar system detects workers and helps machines track paths to avoid collisions.

The PSENopt II Advanced light curtain features beam-level data via IO-Link Safety. Image courtesy of Pilz

PSENopt II Advanced Safety Light Curtains

The PSENopt II Advanced light curtain provides both live and single-beam data through an IO-Link Safety connection or OSSD. While previous Pilz light curtains rely primarily on classic OSSD outputs, the new PSENopt II Advanced introduces IO-Link Safety integration to provide live, beam-level data.

Pilz designed these light curtains for material-handling applications and use around rotating machinery. For temporary, changing, or customizable zones of control, the PSENopt II Advanced can be easily configured using the PSENopt II Advanced Configurator. Built for harsh, industrial environments, the light curtains are rated to 50 g of shock and impact and are available in various sizes and configurations.

PSENradar live detects, counts, and tracks people and objects. Image courtesy of Pilz

PSENradar Live Radar Sensor

The PSENradar live is a multi-use sensor that can help improve safety by detecting, tracking, and counting objects or workers as they move through a facility. The radar system can detect objects and predict their paths to reduce collisions.

Detection is a standard feature for virtually all radar systems. What makes the PSENradar live unique is its ability to count objects. For example, consider a warehouse with dozens of workers moving around shelves that are full of items to be shipped. There are many blind corners. A worker operating a forklift may count how many people go around a blind corner, then wait to verify that all of them have either come back or are visible elsewhere before proceeding. The PSENradar live does this automatically.

The radar unit can output live maps with movement patterns of the actual people and equipment. It requires no contact and minimal setup time. No additional hardware is required, and workers do not need to wear special vests or targets during operation.

Advancing Machine Safety in Industrial Applications

Enhanced safety is not just a legal requirement; it’s a good idea. When a safety mechanism is automated, the end result is typically a safer plant. The hierarchy of controls shows that simply having a rule, such as “don’t go near the robot,” is an administrative control. It does little to prevent a safety incident on its own.

Each of these new Pilz tools is an engineering control. Once installed and configured, they are passive; the operator does not have to do anything special to activate them. If a worker accidentally violates a boundary, the machine can be shut down automatically. This is much more reliable and much safer than simply having a rule in place.