Glossary · Safety standards

IEC 61496

Also known as: IEC 61496 series, EN 61496

IEC 61496 is the international standard series covering electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE) for machinery, such as safety light curtains and safety laser scanners. Part 1 sets general requirements and tests; further parts cover specific technologies.

Standards
Technical documentation

In one sentence

IEC 61496 is the standard series for electro-sensitive protective equipment such as safety light curtains and safety laser scanners.

Example

A packaging machine builder selects a safety light curtain certified to IEC 61496-1 and -2 and then calculates its mounting distance from the hazard with ISO 13855.

How it applies

Structure: Part 1 covers general requirements and tests. Part 2 covers active opto-electronic protective devices such as safety light curtains, part 3 devices responsive to diffuse reflection such as safety laser scanners, and further parts cover other technologies such as vision-based devices.
Types: The series classifies devices by type, which expresses their behavior under faults and environmental influences. The type must suit the required performance level of the safety function.
Machine safety: IEC 61496 covers the device, not its application. Positioning follows ISO 13855, and the safety function including the control system is assessed with ISO 13849-1 or IEC 62061.
Technical documentation: Device data such as response time, detection capability and type must flow into the machine's documentation, safety distance calculation and maintenance instructions.

Device standard vs. application

A certified ESPE does not make a machine safe by itself. Wrong mounting distance, gaps around the protective field or poorly integrated muting can defeat it; that is why the machine documentation must show how the device is applied, not only which device is used.