On some light curtains you can use the blanking function to blank out a defined area of the light grid. In this case, the protected field is only partially, but continuously muted. The precise section through which an item is or must be transported is rendered passive. However, under no circumstances should anyone be able to reach the danger zone undetected via this deactivated section of the protected field. To ensure this, additional sensors must be fitted.
A design measure (e.g. a cover for the remaining free space) should be used to ensure that nobody can reach the danger zone from the side, in between the item and the safeguard.
With blanking, a distinction is made between two types of blanking: fixed blanking and floating blanking. With floating blanking, a certain number of beams or multiple zones are blanked; the item can move within the danger zone, i.e. it does not need to obscure all the blanked beams all the time.
Any objects that obscure more than the blanked beams are detected and trigger a stop. With fixed blanking, a fixed zone of the light curtain is switched off; the object or item cannot move within the danger zone.