Sick launches ‘first ever’ outdoor safety laser scanner

Sensors manufacturer Sick is launching its newest safety laser scanner, outdoorScan3.

The company says outdoorScan3 is the first safety laser scanner certified to IEC 62998 for use in outdoor applications.

The outdoorScan3 allows automated guided vehicle systems to navigate safely through outdoor industrial environments.

Sick says its innovative outdoor-safeHDDM scanning technology enables outdoorScan3 to work safely and reliably in all weather – sun, rain, snow, or fog, thereby closing a major gap in the automation of industrial processes.

Current safety laser scanners enable humans and machines to work safely alongside one another in industrial environments by reliably protecting stationary and mobile applications.

Now, with the outdoorScan3, Sick is launching the first safety laser scanner that allows certified safety sensor technology to be used reliably in outdoor applications too.

This opens up huge potential for automating and increasing the efficiency of intralogistics production processes – and brings the vision of a self-managed value chain in the spirit of Industry 4.0 one step closer to reality.

outdoorScan3: unique functionality in all weather conditions

The outdoorScan3 is characterized by an exceptional ruggedness when subjected to sunlight, rain, snow, and fog. This is accomplished through a new development: outdoor-safeHDDM scanning technology.

This technology means the laser scanner can work without errors when exposed to sunlight with an illumination intensity of up to 40,000 lux.

In addition, the intelligent software algorithm of the outdoorScan3 detects rain and snow, easily filtering out these environmental influences.

For example, rain up to a precipitation intensity of 10 mm/h can be filtered out. Even in fog with a meteorological visual range of up to 50 m, the outdoorScan3 detects all obstacles with total reliability, due to its special fog function.

Automated processes outdoors

AGV systems facilitate a flexible and productive material flow and will be a key technology in automation concepts of the future.

However, these systems can only be used in a working environment shared by humans and machines with the presence of safety laser scanners.

With the outdoorScan3, AGV systems will be able to perform tasks outdoors – with no physical partitions whatsoever and without having to significantly lower their speed.

Versatile range of applications

The outdoorScan3 is already in use on passenger boarding bridges and in protecting and navigating AGV systems.

A safety laser scanner with a broad range of applications and a whole host of other potential uses, the outdoorScan3 is now available from Sick USA.