Pro
20 min

Safety Light Curtain Mute Logic

safetylight-curtainmutingESTOPseal-in

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Safety Light Curtain Mute Logic scenario preview

Briefing

A light curtain guards the entry to a conveyor feed zone. Normally the curtain must be clear (unbroken) for the feeder to run. However, during an **eject cycle** the physics engine raises **MUTE_ACTIVE** — the muting window — which bypasses the curtain so product can pass through without stopping the line. Write the safety supervisory logic: 1. **SAFE_WINDOW** = CURTAIN_CLEAR OR MUTE_ACTIVE. 2. **3-wire seal-in**: START latches RUN_BIT; STOP or /ESTOP_OK resets it. START is only accepted when ESTOP_OK and SAFE_WINDOW are both true. 3. **FEED_RUN** = RUN_BIT AND ESTOP_OK AND SAFE_WINDOW. 4. **FAULT_LAMP** latches when: - ESTOP_OK goes false (E-stop tripped), OR - RUN_BIT AND NOT CURTAIN_CLEAR AND NOT MUTE_ACTIVE (beam break while running, no mute). Clears when ESTOP_OK is restored and the safety window is valid again.

Objectives

  • SAFE_WINDOW := CURTAIN_CLEAR OR MUTE_ACTIVE
  • 3-wire seal-in with ESTOP_OK and SAFE_WINDOW gate on START
  • FEED_RUN := RUN_BIT AND ESTOP_OK AND SAFE_WINDOW
  • FAULT_LAMP latches on E-stop trip or curtain break while running

Hints

  • | CURTAIN_CLEAR OR MUTE_ACTIVE | := SAFE_WINDOW ; — this is a parallel branch rung
  • The FAULT_LAMP latch reset: | ESTOP_OK AND (CURTAIN_CLEAR OR MUTE_ACTIVE) | R= FAULT_LAMP ;

I/O Table

Inputs

START

Start push-button (momentary NO)

BOOL · %I0.0

STOP

Stop push-button (momentary NO)

BOOL · %I0.1

CURTAIN_CLEAR

Physics/op: light-curtain beam unbroken

BOOL · %I0.2

MUTE_ACTIVE

Physics: muting window active (eject cycle)

BOOL · %I0.3

ESTOP_OK

Physics/op: E-stop relay healthy

BOOL · %I0.4

EJECT_CYCLE

Physics trigger: starts the muting window

BOOL · %I0.5

Outputs

FEED_RUN

Feeder conveyor run output

BOOL · %Q0.0

FAULT_LAMP

Safety fault indicator lamp

BOOL · %Q0.1

Your program will be tested against:

All test cases run automatically when you submit. Assertions are hidden until you pass.

  1. #1Normal run: curtain clear + ESTOP_OK → FEED_RUN on

    With ESTOP_OK=true and CURTAIN_CLEAR=true, START latches run and FEED_RUN turns on.

  2. #2E-stop trip → FEED_RUN off, FAULT_LAMP on

    While running, drop ESTOP_OK — FEED_RUN must go off and FAULT_LAMP must latch.

  3. #3Mute active: beam break does not stop FEED_RUN

    When EJECT_CYCLE is true (MUTE_ACTIVE=true), a curtain beam break should NOT trip FEED_RUN.

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Runnable simulator field guide

Safety light-curtain mute PLC scenario: test checklist

Direct answer

The learner can distinguish normal protective sensing from a time- and sequence-limited mute, identify invalid sensor patterns and keep reset separate from restart.

Written for machine-safety learners studying a bounded educational muting sequence with protected access, material sensors and deliberate abnormal cases.

a guarded motor-control and machine-safety training cell used to prove starter, drive, interlock, stop, feedback and restart behavior while studying light-curtain muting sequence, sensor order, limits and restart inhibition
System map / 02

NODE 01observable

Scenario setup

Hazard and access boundary, protective device, muting purpose, material path, sensor geometry, sequence order, maximum time, direction, lamp indication, fault latch, reset and restart policy.

NODE 02observable

I/O and state map

Material approach through ordered mute sensors and safety logic to temporary protective-field suspension, material exit, mute removal, fault response and machine-permission state.

NODE 03observable

Normal run

Only the declared material sequence creates a bounded mute and the field returns to protective operation before the next access opportunity.

NODE 04observable

Boundary run

Wrong order, simultaneous sensors, blocked sensor, person-sized pattern, reverse travel, excessive time, device fault, power loss, reset held and restart.

NODE 05observable

Injected fault

A requirement, geometry, sensor, order, timing, safety-state, indication, reset or restart mismatch.

NODE 06observable

Target check

The real function engineered and validated by qualified people against the risk assessment, safety standards and exact certified devices.

Answer surface / 07

What is light-curtain muting?

It is a deliberately designed temporary suspension of a protective function during a permitted material movement under defined sequence, time and monitoring conditions.

Should reset restart the machine after a muting fault?

Reset should clear an eligible latched condition only; restart behavior must follow the validated risk-based design and normally requires a separate deliberate action.