Panasonic SF2C-H16-P Ultra-Slim Safety Light Curtain

Technical Overview

Ultra-slim Type 2 safety light curtain with 320mm protective height, 25mm object detection, IP67, and 24V DC PNP output for robust hand safeguarding.

Key Features

Ultra-slim profile with a thickness of 13.2mm for space-saving installation.
Designed for hand protection, detecting objects with a minimum diameter of 25mm.
Protective height of 320mm with 16 beams and a 20mm beam pitch.
PNP open-collector output type.
IP67 protection rating suitable for harsh industrial environments.
Compliant with safety standards IEC 61496-1/2 (Type 2), ISO 13849-1 (Category 2, PLc), and IEC 61508 (SIL 1).
Wide operating temperature range from -10 to +55°C.
Infrared LED emitting element with 850nm peak wavelength.
Enclosure material made of polycarbonate alloy for durability.
Pre-wired with a 3-meter heat-resistant PVC cable for convenient connection.

Technical Specification Matrix

Parameter	Value
Protective Height	320 mm
Sensing Range (Max)	3 m
Minimum Detectable Object (Diameter)	25 mm
Beam Pitch	20 mm
Sensor Type	Hand Protection
OFF Response Time	20 ms
ON Response Time	100 ms
Safety Category	Category 2 (ISO 13849-1: PLc), SIL 1 (IEC 61508)
Connection Method	Cable (3m 5-core heat-resistant PVC cable)
Output Type	PNP (Open-collector)
Protection Rating	IP67
Emitting Element	Infrared LED (850 nm peak wavelength)
Enclosure Material	Polycarbonate alloy
Power Supply	24V DC (±20%)
Current Consumption (Emitter, lights off)	30 mA or less
Current Consumption (Emitter, lights up)	40 mA or less
Current Consumption (Receiver, lights off)	30 mA or less
Current Consumption (Receiver, lights up)	35 mA or less
Operating Temperature Range	-10 to +55°C
Storage Temperature Range	-25 to +60°C
Number of Beam Channels	16
Physical Weight (kg)	0.4
Dimensions L x W x H (cm)	32 x 3 x 1.32

Industrial Applications

1. Hand Protection in Automated Small Parts Assembly

This light curtain can be integrated into automated assembly machines or robotic work cells where operators need to load or unload small components, preventing accidental entry of hands into hazardous moving parts. The 320mm protective height is ideal for safeguarding the hand/wrist area, and the 25mm minimum detectable object size ensures that even small fingers are detected reliably.

Problem Solved

Prevents hand injuries by stopping machine operation when an operator's hand or arm breaches the protected area, meeting Type 2 PLc/SIL1 safety requirements for medium-risk applications.

Hand protectionmachine safetyType 2 PLc25mm object detection320mm protective height24V DCautomated assembly

2. Safe Material Feeding on Industrial Conveyor Systems

Employed at the loading or unloading points of conveyor belts, this light curtain ensures that personnel do not insert hands or arms into the moving conveyor or associated machinery, particularly where materials are being manually fed or adjusted. The IP67 rating makes it suitable for dusty or washdown environments often found near conveyors.

Problem Solved

Enhances operator safety by immediately halting conveyor movement or machinery if a hand penetrates the safety zone, thus preventing entanglement or crushing injuries in environments requiring high ingress protection.

Conveyor safetyIP67hand presence detection3m sensing range24V DCindustrial automation

3. Point-of-Operation Safeguarding for Light Press Applications

Suitable for smaller, lighter press brakes, forming machines, or stapling/riveting machines where the work opening requires hand protection. The ultra-slim design allows for installation in confined spaces, while the 20ms OFF response time ensures rapid shutdown when the optical barrier is broken.

Problem Solved

Protects operators from pinch points and crushing hazards at the point of operation by creating a safety barrier that, when interrupted by a hand, immediately initiates a safe stop command, critical for fast-acting machinery.

Point-of-operation safetypress guarding20ms response timeultra-slim25mm object detectionType 2 PLc