Laser Protection with Laser Safety Curtains
Certified laser blocking material should be installed to ensure that Class 3B laser beams do not escape from laser facilities. Ordinary curtains are rarely capable of stopping a laser beam, requiring the use of specially designed certified laser blocking material.
Laser curtains are passive guards that are used to enclose an area where lasers are used, either to protect against accidental laser beam exposure or to provide long-term blocking of laser radiation at lower power densities.
Lasermet’s Laser-Blocking Curtains are ready-made ceiling or wall-mounted curtains made from the company’s specially developed laser blocking material.
The Wolf material, formerly known as Blackcat, serves as a blackout screen as well as a laser-blocking screen and is available in grey. It is ideal for use in laboratories and research facilities, as well as manufacturing environments.
Production facilities that use Class 1 lasers, which are classified as Class 3B under service conditions, may require ceiling-mounted curtains to allow other work to be done safely in the same room while the laser is being serviced.
For smooth operation, heavy duty curtain tracks can be supplied. High-quality cubicle curtain track is available for applications where the curtain must be suspended below the fixing points.
MOTORISED LASER PROTECTION CURTAINS
Lasermet’s laser blocking curtains can be motor powered up to a maximum run of 10m (32.8 ft) or 60kg (132.28 lb).
Safety Specification
Lasermet laser-blocking Wolf products are CE marked and certified to EN 60825-4 (Safety of Laser Products Part 4: Laser Guards).
Tested in accordance with NFP 92-503 (Electrical Burner Test), the material is rated as M2.
Ideal for use with Class 3B lasers, the laser protection times given by the material at various power densities are shown in the PEL specifications.
| Irradiated Area | PEL (T3) 10S | PEL (T2) 100S |
| 4mm² | 248 kW/m² | 140 kW/m² |
| 2000mm² | 124 kW/m² | 70 kW/m² |
DIRECTIVES AND STANDARDS
- Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
- EMC Directive 2004/108/EC
- BS EN IEC 60825-4 Safety of Laser Products, Part 4: Laser Guards
Curtains Comparison
To select the appropriate laser blocking curtain, identify the application. If you need to discuss the suitability of the product for your requirements, Lasermet are happy to assist.
| MATERIAL | COLOUR | DESCRIPTION | APPLICATION | PEL RATINGS | Standard | ||
| Irradiated Area | PEL (T3) 10S | PEL (T2) 100S | Conforms to | ||||
| Orca | Black, White, Black/White | High specification Heavy duty Easy to clean | Hospitals & Medical Environments Clean Rooms Laboratories | 4 mm² | 3.9 MW/m² | 2.2 MW/m² | BS EN IEC 60825-4 |
| 2000 mm² | 0.62 MW/m² | 0.35 MW/m² | |||||
| Wolf Formerly Blackcat and Laserlight | Grey | Lower specification Suitable for Class 3B and expanded Class 4 lasers Cost effective | Laboratory environments Blackout curtains | 4 mm² | 248 kW/m² | 140 kW/m² | BS EN IEC 60825-4 |
| 2000 mm² | 124 kW/m² | 70 kW/m² |
