Service Home How To Procedures Light Curtain - Installation - AD0704
Last updated: 12/14/2023

Light Curtain - Installation

AD0704

Revision B - 5/2025

Introduction

The light curtain can be used to protect the user from the robot without needing to use an interlocking fence or area scanner. 

The light curtain is composed of two main parts—the emitter and receiver. The light curtain emitter sends out parallel beams that will be received by the light curtain receiver if there are no obstacles in the way. When this is the case, the machine is considered to be in a safe state and can operate. 

NOTE: For more Light Curtain information, refer to the Light Curtain Troubleshooting Guide. 

Machine Requirements:

  • Compatible Interface Box:
    • 93-3806  ELECT INTERFACE LIGHT CURTAIN HRP-1 
    • 93-3911   ELECT INTERFACE LIGHT CURTAIN HRP-2/3

 IMPORTANT: Without the light curtain compatible interface box, the light curtain won't be connected to the machine. These upgraded interface boxes were added to all COBOT packages & HRP-1/2/3 packages built after 07/10/2023. If the machine's interface box was built before these dates, refer to the Robot Safety Device Interface Box Installation - AD0703 procedure for more information. 

Required Accessories:

  • 09-0954: Light Curtain Mounting Plate

 NOTE: The light curtain mounting plates are not included in the light curtain kits and must be ordered separately as an accessory. 

Software Requirements:

  • 100.23.000.1120 version or higher 

Tool Needed:

  • Vertical Laser Level - recommended to speed up the alignment process.

This Procedure Applies to the following Part Numbers:

  • 09-0940 Light Curtain Emitter & Receiver 920mm Protective Height [1]
  • 09-0624 Light Curtain Emitter & Receiver 1720mm Protective Height [2]
  • 09-0623 Reflective Mirror Post for Light Curtain 1910mm, Set of 2 [3]
  • 08-1898 Multi-Sided Light Curtain Kit for Haas Cobot 1720mm Protective Height 
  • 08-1899 Multi-Sided Light Curtain Kit for HRP 1720mm Protective Height 

Installation

1

With the machine in service mode, go to Parameters > Factory tab.

Set Parameter 2191 [694] LIGHT CURTAIN TYPE to LC_TYPE_1.

Set Parameter 2192 [:] LIGHT CURTAIN TRIGGER THRESHOLD to 0. 

Set the Setting 376 LIGHT CURTAIN ENABLED to ON. 

2

When installing the light curtain to the light curtain housing:

Place the light curtain housing [1] standing up on the ground.

NOTE: Make sure to have the light curtain receiver/emitter cable [2] located on the top. 

Install the light curtain housing stand [3] onto the top of the light curtain housing [1].

Flip the light curtain. 

Repeat this process to the second light curtain housing.

3

Power OFF the machine.

Plug the light curtain receiver [1] and emitter [2] cable into the machine's robot safety device interface box.

 NOTE: Make sure to connect the light curtain receiver cable [1] to the matching connector on the light curtain receiver & connect the light curtain emitter cable [2] to the matching connector on the light curtain emitter. 

Power ON the machine.

4

Place the light curtain emitter directly across from the light curtain receiver. 

Test the functionality of the light curtain by interfering the light curtain beams and verifying that the light curtain triggered icon [1] appears on the Haas pendant. 

Make sure that when nothing is interfering the light curtain beams, that the light curtain triggered icon [1] disappeared on the Haas pendant. 

NOTE: Make sure that the light curtain sits flat on the surface. If not, shim under the light curtain until flat. 

5

Find the desired light curtain location where the emitter can send out light beam that will be received by the receiver without any obstacles in the path. 

NOTE: To help find the desired light curtain location, refer to the Cobot Machine Layout Drawing. 

Note: For more information on how to align the light curtains, refer to the Light Curtain Alignment section below.

IMPORTANT: With the multi-sided light curtain package, there are two additional mirror posts. Set the light curtain emitter up in a position so that the light curtain beam is reflected off of the mirror post oriented at 45° and returns to the light curtain receiver. 

Verify the location of the light curtain by interfering the light curtain field and ensuring the machine's light curtain is triggered. 

Anchor all the light curtain posts to the floor OR fasten the light curtain to a secured surface.

Light Curtain Alignment

1

Aligning the light curtains can take time. When anchoring the posts, the mirror orientation can shift, throwing off the alignment.

To speed up the alignment process, you can use a vertical laser level to have a visual representation of the beam produced by the light curtain emitter.

This section shows how to align light curtains on a pallet surface. This section can be used as reference for installing on any level mounting surface.

Note: The laser level is not needed for installation, but it is a tool that can help speed up the installation process.

2

Position the posts on the pallet. Do a rough alignment so that the mirrors [2] have close to the correct orientation to reflect the beam from the emitter [1] to the receiver [3]. 

Note: In this example a pallet is used to anchor the light curtains. Any surface can be used.

3

Place the post mounting plates [1] underneath the light curtain posts. 

Align the edges of the mounting plates so that they are parallel with the edges of the pallet.

Fasten the mounting plate [1] for the emitter post to the pallet using the lag screws [2] and washers [3].

Align the emitter post so that the face of the emitter [4] is parallel to the edge of the mounting plate [5].

Fasten the emitter post to the mounting plate using the lag screws and washers.

 NOTE: Leave the remaining posts in their position. The mirrors and receiver can be adjusted individually to compensate for orientation changes when emitter is fastened to the pallet.

4

After installing the emitter post to the pallet, place a vertical laser level [1] centered on the post so that it is sitting flush against the emitter face [2].

This will ensure that the laser from the level is matching the plane of the beam from the emitter. 

Tape a piece of paper [3] to each mirror [4] and the receiver [5] at different heights.

These pieces of paper will be an indicator for the location that the laser is hitting each mirror.

Note: The paper needs to be placed at different heights on each post. Any part of the laser that hits paper will not be reflected to the next mirror in the chain.

5

Use the laser [1] as a guide to adjust the post [2] so that the laser hits the mirror in the center.

The image on the left has a red line [3] showing where the laser should hit the mirror. Slide the post [2] and mounting plate so that the laser hits the center as shown in the middle image.

Fasten the mounting plate [5] to the pallet using the lag screws [4].  

6

To set the orientation, pivot the post clockwise or counterclockwise as needed so that the laser is reflected to the centerline of the next post [6] as shown in the right image.

Once aligned, fasten the post in position using the lag screws [7].

 NOTE: Fastening the post in position can shift the alignment. Verify that the alignment is still correct after fastening the post to the mount bracket.

7

Repeat steps 5 and 6 on the remaining posts.

When the receiver post [2] is aligned and fastened to the pallet, the laser from the emitter post [1] should be visible on the receiver post [2] as shown in the image.

Remove the laser level and the paper from the light curtain and verify that the light curtains are functioning.

The light curtain icon [3] should appear on the control when the light curtain beam is broken.

RJH-XL Remote E-Stop Installation

1

If the Control Pendant is outside of the light curtain field the RJH-XL can mounted on the pendant as normal.

If the the Control Pendant is inside the light curtain field the magnets that come in the HRP install kit can be installed on the RJH-XL holster [1] and be mounted on the side of the machine [2].

Follow the directions below to install the RJH-XL.

RJH-XL Installation