Panasonic SF4C-H8-J05 Ultra-slim Safety Light Curtain

Technical Overview

Ultra-slim Type 4 safety light curtain with 160mm protective height and 20mm beam pitch, featuring IP67 rating and 7ms OFF response time.

Key Features

Ultra-slim design, only 13.2mm thick.
Category 4 protection with 20mm beam spacing.
8 beam channels provide 160mm protection height.
Operating range of 0.1 to 3 meters.
Equipped with a 0.5M Quick Disconnect (QD) pigtail connector.
IP65 and IP67 (IEC) protection structure.
Meets international safety standards: IEC 61496-1/2 (Type 4), ISO 13849-1 (Category 4, PLe), IEC 61508-1 to 3 (SIL 3).
Fast OFF response time of 7 ms or less.
Lightweight resin body, approximately 45% lighter than conventional aluminum types.
Bright, easy-to-see multi-purpose indicators (Red/Green) for status monitoring.
ELCA (Extraneous Light Check & Avoid) function reduces mutual interference.

Technical Specification Matrix

Parameter	Value
Series	SF4C
Light Curtain Type & Style	Type 4 - Ultra-Slim
Protection Type	Hand Protection
Number of Beam Channels	8
Beam Pitch	20 mm
Minimum Detectable Object	Ø 25 mm
Protective Height	160 mm
Operating Range	0.1 to 3 m
Supply Voltage	24 V DC (+10%/-15% Ripple P-P 10% or less)
Current Consumption (Emitter, indicators OFF)	70 mA or less
Current Consumption (Receiver, indicators OFF)	85 mA or less
Current Consumption (Emitter, indicators ON)	120 mA or less
Current Consumption (Receiver, indicators ON)	135 mA or less
Output Type	NPN/PNP (Switch selectable)
OFF Response Time	7 ms or less
ON Response Time	90 ms or less
IP Rating	IP65, IP67 (IEC)
Operating Temperature Range	-10 to 55 °C
Relative Humidity	30 to 85 %
Terminal Type	0.5 M Quick Disconnect (QD) Cable
Enclosure Material	Polycarbonate Alloy
Sensing Surface Material	Polycarbonate Alloy
Standards Met	CE, TUV, TUV NRTL, OSHA/ANSI S-Mark, IEC 61496-1/2 (Type 4), ISO 13849-1 (Category 4, PLe), IEC 61508-1 to 3 (SIL 3)
Physical Weight (kg)	0.47
Dimensions L x W x H (cm)	17.2 x 3 x 1.32

Industrial Applications

1. Automated Small Parts Assembly Machine Guarding

This safety light curtain is ideal for protecting operators at the point of operation on compact automated assembly machines, such as those used for electronic component insertion or intricate medical device assembly.

Problem Solved

Ensures operator safety during manual loading/unloading or intervention by immediately stopping machine motion when a hand (25mm minimum detectable object) breaks the 160mm high protective field. The ultra-slim 13.2mm design allows seamless integration into space-constrained machinery.

Machine guardingHand protectionAutomated assemblyCompact machineryType 4 safety25mm object detection

2. Packaging Line Access Point Safety

Implementing the SF4C-H8-J05 at access points of packaging machinery, particularly for areas requiring intermittent human access for small package handling or adjustments, where entry into hazardous zones must be prevented during operation.

Problem Solved

Prevents personnel from reaching into dangerous moving parts of packaging equipment (e.g., conveyors, sealing mechanisms) while the machine is running, meeting Category 4, PLe, SIL3 safety requirements. The IP67 rating ensures durability in environments potentially exposed to dust or occasional washdowns common in packaging applications.

Packaging machineryAccess controlPersonnel safetyIP67Type 4 safetyFast response time

3. Robotics Workcell Entry/Exit Safety

Deployed at the entry and exit points of small robotic workcells where collaboration or intermittent human access is required, such as in pick-and-place operations or inspection stations.

Problem Solved

Safeguards operators interacting with or near robotic arms by creating a safe perimeter. Upon detection of a hand (160mm protective height, 25mm object detection), the light curtain triggers an immediate stop of the robot, preventing collisions and ensuring compliance with high safety standards (PLe, SIL3). The standard 24VDC supply integrates easily into industrial automation systems.

Robotic workcellCollaborative roboticsPerimeter guardingType 4 safety24VDCPLeSIL3