Photo sensors for UL and EN compliant automatic doors

The new laws enforce safety standards UL325 in North America, and EN13241-1, EN12445, EN12453 and EN12978 in the EU for all industrial, commercial and garage door systems on sale in each territory and came into effect on 1st May 2006. The Carlo Gavazzi MPF series photo-eye sensor system is the only such system currently available meeting both the North American and European standards. Several further families of sensor sets create a comprehensive photo-electric sensing portfolio for automatic door applications and person detection. Carlo Gavazzi also has loop detectors capable of sensing the presence and direction of vehicles close to automatic doors. These are flexible, cost-effective and easy to set up.



The MPF-series photo-eye sensor system includes photo eye receivers and transmitters, and compatible amplifiers suitable for sensing applications at the safety edge of all types of sliding, speed, folding and sectional doors and shutters. The MPF series meets high durability requirements, being approved for 100,000 cycles lifetime according to UL325, and features compact dimensions and click-in mounting for convenient attachment to thick or thin door frame profiles. The 25mm-long MPF sensors can be used directly in legacy safety edge applications while also meeting the European regulations, which require monitoring in all but the last 30mm of the door leaf width. This effectively limits the maximum mounting depth for pressure sensitive protection sensors such as those installed at the safety edge. Furthermore, only one shielded, four-wire cable is required, from the sensor to the controller, allowing fast, convenient and cost-effective installation at the customer premises. The MPF series is also suitable for object or person detection applications.



Where high optical power is required, for example where sensing distances may be long or fog and mist may be encountered, such as in cold storage environments, the Carlo Gavazzi MOF sensor system is the most powerful in the market. Further attributes include high resistance to water ingress, making the MOF series a strong choice for use in car washes and other equipment where there is a high potential for water penetration. The MOF-series comprises of photo transmitters, receivers and amplifiers, creating a comprehensive system solution.



The Carlo Gavazzi range also includes the PMP12 series unified transmitter/receivers. These combine with ER-series reflectors to create a photo-electric retro-reflective set suitable for object and person detection. These require wiring on one side of the door only, enabling a low-cost and straightforward installation that also benefits from easy sensor alignment.



Further options available include PB10, PB12 and PB18-series photo eye sensor sets, comprising transmitters and receivers suitable for safety edge and object/person applications. Finally, the Carlo Gavazzi PMT20-series comprises compatible transmitters and receivers that can be easily installed as a photo-electric through-beam set.



Photo-sensor systems enable short design times and low engineering costs, with additional benefits including easy installation and low maintenance. Active tests for functionality, which are also required by the UL and EN standards, are also more easily implemented using photo-electric technology. Compared to alternative technologies such as pneumatic, electro-mechanical, resistive and sprung-wire technologies, photo-electric solutions do not deteriorate and are immune to the effects of industrial frequency converters. These alternatives typically are more difficult to design, more complex and expensive to install, and can require frequent maintenance. In addition, Carlo Gavazzi’s photo-electric sensing technologies are engineered to be unaffected by bright lights.