5 environmental factors that don’t bother the IDEC SE2L Advanced safety laser scanner
Date: 23/04/2025 | By: IDEC HQ
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The new IDEC SE2L Advanced builds on the accuracy and reliability of our safety laser scanner lineup. It’s also more robust in rugged, demanding operating environments than the standard model.
Why is a safety laser scanner’s overall environmental resistance important?
The scanner’s detection accuracy is vital – not just its ability to sense obstacles in the warning and protection zones, but to detect what is an issue and what isn’t.
The SE2L Advanced is designed as a ‘presence sensing device’. That means it can detect when a human:
Enters a hazardous area
Stands too close to a robot or cobot
Steps into the path of a moving AGV/AMR
Opens or closes a door
It can also be configured to maintain safety levels at workpiece entrances on production lines.
Air pollution on and around a safety laser scanner can cause false positives. In the warning zone, a false positive will slow the equipment down – in the protection zone, it’ll bring the equipment to a stop.
If a safety laser scanner detects a human in the protection zone and stops the equipment, the equipment can’t be restarted until the human is no longer detected in the zone. If a false positive is the cause, it needs to be removed from the environment before restarting the equipment.
This unexpected, repeated downtime is a headache for businesses trying to run efficient operations. It’s better to be safe than sorry, but some users may find that their scanner causes more problems than it solves.
The technology used within our SE2L Advanced safety laser scanner has been improved to give it more resilience in harsh (dusty/dirty) environments.
As well as reducing the likelihood of false positives, this enhanced build improves the scanner’s durability.
The 5 environmental factors that the SE2L Advanced takes in its stride are:
1. Dust
Fine particles in the air (dust, powder, wood shavings, etc.) have a much lower impact on the scanner’s sensing capabilities. This is a significant advantage in harsh environments that produce large amounts of airborne waste, such as:
Paper mills and wood processing plants
Welding factories
Machining factories
Food and packaging lines
2. Dirt (particles and air pollution)
The conductive coating on the optical window prevents dirt and other particles from sticking to the scanner. As well as lowering the likelihood of false positives, it makes the scanner body easier to clean.
An optional cover bracket (SE9Z-HS2-CM01) is available, to further protection the optical window against accidental damage (bumps, scratches, AGV/AMR collisions, etc.)
3. Water (moisture and other liquids)
High levels of moisture in the environment, such as fog and mist sprays, can pose the risk of affecting not just sensing effectiveness but device electricals and other internal components.
The SE2L Advanced can be operated and stored at up to 95% relative humidity (no condensation). Its improved sensing performance lessens the impact of airborne moisture on detection accuracy.
(Please note that the SE2L Advanced is not suitable for outdoor use.)
4. Ambient light (glare and reflections)
Light sources near to the SE2L Advanced have a low impact on device functionality. We’ve tested this with bright LED lighting at close range – scanning and proximity detection were unaffected. The safety laser scanner also performs well in applications where ambient light conditions can fluctuate.
We recommend installing the SE2L Advanced with at least a 5-degree angle to nearby light sources for added peace of mind.
5. Other SE2L Advanced safety laser scanners
You can place 2 scanners facing each other – again, we recommend a 5-degree offset for the best results. The intervals in light sequences emitted by the SE2L Advanced are random, making each scanner immune to mutual interference.
The master/slave function allows you to connect up to 4 scanners (3 ‘slave’ scanners to 1 ‘master’ scanner), creating an even wider sensing and protection area around equipment.
A high-performance scanner with optimized safety for harsh environments
IDEC has launched the new SE2L Advanced safety laser scanner in several global regions. Visit the product page to learn more, and reach out to discuss how the scanner fits into your industrial safety system.
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