What is this standard about?
This part of IEC 61496 specifies additional requirements for the design, construction and testing of electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE) designed specifically to detect persons or parts of persons as part of a safety-related system, employing active optoelectronic protective devices responsive to diffuse reflection (AOPDDRs) for the sensing function. Special attention is directed to requirements which ensure that an appropriate safety-related performance is achieved.
This document does not specify the dimensions or configurations of the detection zone and its disposition in relation to hazardous parts for any particular application, nor what constitutes a hazardous state of any machine. It is restricted to the functioning of the ESPE and how it interfaces with the machine.
Opto-electronic devices that perform only a single one-dimensional spot-like distance measurement, for example, optical proximity switches, are not covered by this document.
This document does not address those aspects required for complex classification or differentiation of the object detected.
This document does not address requirements and tests for outdoor application.
This document can be relevant to applications other than those for the protection of persons, for example, for the protection of machinery or products from mechanical damage. In those applications, different requirements can be appropriate, for example when the materials that have to be recognized by the sensing function have different properties from those of persons and their clothing.
This document does not deal with electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) emission requirements.