DQB Ultra-thin (Side-emitting) Safety Light Curtain
Ultra-thin side-emitting safety light curtain with a 15 x 30 mm cross-section for gaps too narrow for standard units.
🔍 Click to enlarge · 1/14Technical Specifications
| Series | DQB Ultra-thin (Side-emitting) Safety Light Curtain |
|---|---|
| Curtain Type | Through-beam (opposed mode) - separate transmitter and receiver |
| Safety Design Basis | Catalog cites IEC 61496-1/-2 safety class; the catalog names TÜV and UL in its feature list (no certificate numbers or scope given -- see dataGaps); EN 13849-1:2015 (Category 4, PLd), EN 61496-3:2019 Type 4, and quality-management certification to GB/T 19001-2016 idt ISO 9001:2015. Certification documents are available on request. |
| Light Axis Pitch (Resolution) | 10 / 20 / 40 mm. The model-code legend and technical parameter table list all three; the catalog's populated model list only gives specific model numbers for 20 mm and 40 mm pitch (see dataGaps). |
| Detection Accuracy (min. detectable object) | 18 / 28 / 48 mm (= light axis pitch + 8 mm) |
| Number of Light Axes | 6, 8 ... 32 (10 mm pitch); 6, 8 ... 32 (20 mm pitch); 4, 6 ... 32 (40 mm pitch) |
| Protective Height | Light axis pitch x (number of axes - 1). Listed range: 100-620 mm (20 mm pitch) / 120-1240 mm (40 mm pitch) |
| Sensing (Transmitter-Receiver) Distance | 0.3-3 m (model-code option B, used in the published model list); 0.3-1 m (option A) |
| Response Time | <= 15 ms |
| Ambient Light Immunity | 10,000 lux (incidence angle >= 5 degrees); incandescent 3,000 lux / sunlight 10,000 lux at the receiver face |
| Housing Dimensions | 30 x 15 mm cross-section x L (L = transmitter/receiver length); side-emitting - light axes exit the 15 mm face rather than the front |
| Housing Material | Aluminium alloy; end caps ABS-reinforced nylon |
| Enclosure Rating | IP65 |
| Controller | DQCA / DQCA2 |
| Supply Voltage | DC 12/24 V; AC 110-220 V (relay-output supply version) |
| Current Consumption | <= 200 mA |
| Output | NPN/PNP transistor type, NO or NC by model-code letter (A = NPN NC, B = PNP NC, C = NPN NO, D = PNP NO); sink current 500 mA, residual voltage < 1.5 V; polarity, short-circuit and overload protection. Output state ON when beams clear (receiver indicator green). |
| Indicators | Transmitter: power (red). Receiver: output - clear (green) / blocked (red) |
| Light Source | Modulated infrared LED |
| Connection | Circular aviation connector with dedicated cable; transmitter 4-core, receiver 5-core |
| Operating Temperature | -10 to +40 degrees C (non-condensing); storage -25 to +55 degrees C |
| Ambient Humidity | Operating 35-85% RH; storage 35-95% RH |
Overview
DQB is a transistor-output (NPN/PNP selectable) safety light curtain series with its optical windows emitting from the 15 mm side face of the housing rather than the front, so it fits into narrow slots, between mold plates, or flush against slide-rail sides where a conventional light curtain body cannot be installed. It is intended for machine builders and integrators who need finger/hand or arm access-point protection but are constrained by installation space around the hazard opening.
The catalog's populated model list covers two resolutions: 20 mm pitch (6-32 light axes, protective height 100-620 mm) for hand-level detection, and 40 mm pitch (4-32 light axes, protective height 120-1240 mm) for arm-level detection. A 10 mm pitch option (18 mm detection accuracy) also appears in the model-code legend and the technical parameter table, but no specific 10 mm model numbers are published, so its availability should be confirmed before specifying. Output is transistor type (NPN or PNP, NO or NC selectable by model-code letter), wired via a circular aviation connector with a dedicated cable - 4-core on the transmitter, 5-core on the receiver - and the catalog's listed sensing (transmitter-to-receiver) distance is 0.3-3 m, with a 0.3-1 m option also selectable by model code.
Features & Benefits
Just 15 mm Mounting Thickness
The housing cross-section is only 15 x 30 mm, letting the light curtain be installed in gaps too tight for standard front-emitting units, such as between mold plates or on the side face of a slide rail.
Side-emitting Design Frees Up Front Clearance
Because the optical window faces sideways rather than forward, the protected opening's front face stays clear, which matters when the guarded gap itself has no room for a front-mounted device.
Two Resolution Grades, One Focused Line-up
20 mm pitch (6-32 axes, protective height 100-620 mm) and 40 mm pitch (4-32 axes, protective height 120-1240 mm) cover the two most common detection needs in confined-space guarding, keeping selection simple.
NPN/PNP Selectable Transistor Output
Transistor output with NPN or PNP signal selection lets the curtain match the input type of the connected safety relay or controller without adding external signal conversion.
Circular Aviation Connector, Dedicated Cable
Wiring uses a circular aviation connector with a dedicated cable: 4-core on the transmitter, 5-core on the receiver, consistent with the series' standard electrical connection method.
Systematic Model Naming for Fast Ordering
Model codes directly encode axis count, resolution, and protective height (DQB + axis count + / + pitch - protective height), so customers can specify or cross-check a model number without a separate lookup table.
Applications
Models & Ordering Information
29 standard models across 2 beam-pitch options. Select the pitch your risk assessment calls for, then the protective height that covers the opening.
Protective height 100-620 mm
| Model | Beam pitch K (mm) | Number of beams N | Protective height H (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DQB06/20-100 | 20 | 6 | 100 |
| DQB08/20-140 | 20 | 8 | 140 |
| DQB10/20-180 | 20 | 10 | 180 |
| DQB12/20-220 | 20 | 12 | 220 |
| DQB14/20-260 | 20 | 14 | 260 |
| DQB16/20-300 | 20 | 16 | 300 |
| DQB18/20-340 | 20 | 18 | 340 |
| DQB20/20-380 | 20 | 20 | 380 |
| DQB22/20-420 | 20 | 22 | 420 |
| DQB24/20-460 | 20 | 24 | 460 |
| DQB26/20-500 | 20 | 26 | 500 |
| DQB28/20-540 | 20 | 28 | 540 |
| DQB30/20-580 | 20 | 30 | 580 |
| DQB32/20-620 | 20 | 32 | 620 |
| Model | Beam pitch K (mm) | Number of beams N | Protective height H (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DQB04/40-120 | 40 | 4 | 120 |
| DQB06/40-200 | 40 | 6 | 200 |
| DQB08/40-280 | 40 | 8 | 280 |
| DQB10/40-360 | 40 | 10 | 360 |
| DQB12/40-440 | 40 | 12 | 440 |
| DQB14/40-520 | 40 | 14 | 520 |
| DQB16/40-600 | 40 | 16 | 600 |
| DQB18/40-680 | 40 | 18 | 680 |
| DQB20/40-760 | 40 | 20 | 760 |
| DQB22/40-840 | 40 | 22 | 840 |
| DQB24/40-920 | 40 | 24 | 920 |
| DQB26/40-1000 | 40 | 26 | 1000 |
| DQB28/40-1080 | 40 | 28 | 1080 |
| DQB30/40-1160 | 40 | 30 | 1160 |
| DQB32/40-1240 | 40 | 32 | 1240 |
14 standard models at 20 mm pitch · 29 across the series. Protective height is derived as H = (N − 1) × K. Intermediate beam counts can usually be built to order — send the opening height you need to cover.
How to read the DQB model code
How to Select
- Choose 20 mm pitch for hand/finger-level access-point protection (axes 06-32, protective height 100-620 mm).
- Choose 40 mm pitch for arm-level access-point protection or where a taller protective height up to 1240 mm is needed (axes 04-32).
- Match the guarded opening's height to the closest standard protective height in the model list; protective height increases with axis count within each pitch grade.
- Select NPN or PNP transistor output to match the input type of the connected safety relay or controller.
- Verify the 15 x 30 mm cross-section and side-emitting orientation are compatible with the target mounting slot or flush side-mount surface before finalizing the model.
- Confirm cable routing and connector compatibility with the aviation-connector cable (transmitter 4-core, receiver 5-core) before ordering.
📘 Need the full method? How to Choose a Safety Light Curtain · Type 2 vs Type 4 Safety Light Curtains
When NOT to specify the DQB — and what to use instead
The available mounting space fits a standard-thickness housing
Why not: DQB's defining feature is its 15 mm side-emitting profile for gaps too narrow for a standard-body light curtain. That constraint offers no benefit on a normal-depth opening, where a standard-range series covers a broader pitch and protective-height catalog.
Use instead: DQC standard-range safety light curtain (or DQA for long spans) when installation depth is not the limiting factor.
The install only has clearance on the front face of the guarded opening, not the side
Why not: DQB's optical windows emit from the 15 mm side face of the housing, not the front. If the machine gap only exposes the front face for beam exit, DQB's side-emitting geometry will not project the light plane across the opening correctly.
Use instead: DQZ ultra-thin front-emitting series (17.2 x 30 mm housing, beams exit the narrow front face).
A confirmed 10 mm-pitch model is needed for finger-level detection
Why not: The catalog's model-code legend and technical parameter table both list a 10 mm pitch option (18 mm detection accuracy, 6-32 axes), but the populated model list (specific model numbers and protective heights) only covers 20 mm and 40 mm pitch. No 10 mm DQB model numbers are published.
Use instead: DQZ ultra-thin series, which has a fully published 10 mm pitch model list (06-32 axes), or confirm 10 mm DQB availability with the factory first.
Protective height above 1240 mm is required
Why not: The tallest published DQB configuration is DQB32/40-1240 (32 axes, 40 mm pitch, 1240 mm protective height); no taller configuration is listed in the catalog.
Use instead: DQZ ultra-thin series (up to 2480 mm at 80 mm pitch) or the standard DQC/DQA series for full-height guarding.
Washdown, high-pressure hose-down, or outdoor rain exposure
Why not: DQB is rated IP65 - dust-tight and protected against low-pressure water jets only, not high-pressure jetting or immersion.
Use instead: DQR waterproof safety light curtain series for wet or washdown areas.
The machine control needs a relay (volt-free) output
Why not: This catalog documents DQB output as transistor type only (NPN/PNP, NO/NC by model-code letter A/B/C/D); no relay-output code is listed for DQB, unlike DQA's J (relay) code.
Use instead: DQA or DQC series ordered with a relay-output variant if a volt-free contact is required.
Specifications we do not publish yet
We only publish a figure once we are confident it is true. The items below are still being validated through further testing and real-world customer feedback, so for now we would rather leave them open than guess. If one of them matters to your design, ask us for the latest validated status.
- The 10 mm pitch option appears in the DQB model-code legend and technical parameter table (18 mm detection accuracy, 6-32 axes), but no populated model list (specific model numbers / protective heights) for 10 mm pitch DQB is given in the catalog.
- TUV and UL certificate numbers and the exact scope (which DQB models/configurations they cover) are not given in the catalog.
- Whether DQB requires an external controller (DQCA/DQCA2) in all configurations or can operate stand-alone, and the functional difference between the DQCA and DQCA2 controllers, is not detailed for this series.
- Maximum cable length and the aviation-connector pinout are not given.
- Muting and fixed/floating blanking function availability and configuration for DQB are not stated in this catalog section.
- PFHd, MTTFd and DCavg figures needed to integrate DQB into a full ISO 13849-1 machine calculation are not published; the catalog states a Category 4 / PLd design basis but not these figures.
- Whether the 0.3-1 m sensing-distance option (model code A) is available across all listed DQB models, or only specific configurations, is unconfirmed - the published model list shows 0.3-3 m for every row.
- Whether a relay (volt-free) output variant is available for DQB, as it is for DQA (J code) - this catalog documents transistor (NPN/PNP) output only for DQB.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the DQB series "ultra-thin"?
What resolutions does the DQB series offer?
What output signal types does DQB support?
How is the DQB series wired?
How is the model number structured?
What is the difference between the 20 mm and 40 mm pitch versions?
Is DQB the thinnest light curtain in the DAIDISIKE range?
Does DQB require a synchronization cable between transmitter and receiver?
Can DAIDISIKE provide certification documents for the DQB series?
Works Well Together
On the same machine or line, DQB is typically ordered together with: Safety Relays · Safety Door Locks & Switches · Press & Press Brake Protection