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Mobile Robot Safety · AGV & AMR
Safety Laser Scanner for AGV & AMR
Protect people around moving AGVs and AMRs with configurable warning and protective fields that support early slowdown and safety-related stop functions. For projects that also require navigation data, selected SH27 configurations provide Ethernet raw scan data for mobile-robot natural-navigation applications.
IEC 61496 Type 3
SIL 2
PL d
AGV / AMR Applications
Mobile Robot Area Protection
Safety Monitoring
Warning Field
Protective Field
Travel Direction
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Scanner-based area monitoring
Detect approaching people and support the AGV safety system in initiating slowdown or stop actions.
02
Mobile Robot Risk
Why AGVs & AMRs Need Area Protection
Unlike a fixed machine, an AGV or AMR carries its hazardous movement through the workplace. People, vehicles, loads and travel direction can change continuously, so the required protection has to be designed around the robot’s actual operating conditions.
Moving Hazard Area
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The protected area moves with the vehicle and must account for
stopping behaviour, vehicle geometry and surrounding traffic.
01
People Can Enter the Travel Path
Operators, maintenance staff and pedestrians may cross or approach the robot route at unpredictable moments.
02
The Hazard Moves With the Vehicle
The relevant protective area is not fixed to one machine location; it travels through aisles, intersections and work zones.
03
Stopping Behaviour Changes
Vehicle speed, payload, braking response and operating conditions all influence how much distance may be required for a safe stop.
04
Vehicle Geometry Matters
Forks, carried loads, body overhang and turning movement can extend beyond the basic footprint of the mobile robot.
03 Safety Logic
How Safety Laser Scanning Works on a Mobile Robot
A safety laser scanner monitors defined areas around the vehicle and provides signals to the AGV safety system when a person or object enters a configured field.
Monitor the Area
The scanner continuously observes the configured zone around the moving vehicle.
Detect an Intrusion
A person or object enters a monitored warning or protective field.
Send the Required Signal
The AGV control architecture receives the relevant scanner output and initiates the configured response.
Slow Down or Stop
Depending on the field and safety design, the vehicle can reduce speed or execute a safety-related stop.
Early Response
Warning Field
A warning field can support an earlier process response such as a slowdown request before the protective field is reached.
Safety-Related Detection
Protective Field
The protective field is used as part of the safety function. An intrusion is passed through the safety control chain so the mobile robot can perform the required safe response.
The scanner is one part of the complete safety chain. Final slowdown,
stopping behaviour and safety validation depend on the complete AGV or
AMR control system.
04 Field Strategy
Protective Fields for Different AGV Operating Conditions
Mobile robots do not always travel in one direction, at one speed or with one fixed geometry. Protective-area design should reflect how the vehicle actually moves and stops in each operating condition.
Normal Forward Travel
Forward Travel
The monitored area ahead of the vehicle must provide enough space for detection, system response and the required stopping process.
Reduced-Speed Area
Reduced-Speed Operation
When an AGV operates under a different speed condition, the required protective-area design may also differ because the vehicle’s stopping behaviour changes.
Bidirectional Movement
Reverse Travel
Vehicles that regularly reverse or operate bidirectionally require the rear hazard area to be considered as part of the complete safety concept.
Curved Motion
Turning & Curved Paths
During a turn, the swept area can extend beyond the straight-line vehicle footprint. Overhang, forks and transported loads need to be included in the risk assessment.
The exact implementation of field configurations depends on the selected
scanner configuration, AGV controller and safety architecture. Final field design
should be validated for the complete mobile-robot system.
05 Installation Strategy
Scanner Placement & Coverage Around the Vehicle
A scanner can only protect the area it is able to monitor. Mounting position, vehicle shape, travel direction and transported loads should therefore be considered together when planning AGV or AMR coverage.
Front-Mounted Scanner
Common for vehicles whose primary hazard is forward travel. The scanner monitors the approach area in front of the AGV.
Front & Rear Coverage
Bidirectional vehicles and AGVs that reverse frequently require both directions of travel to be included in the safety design.
Multiple Sensing Positions
Some vehicle geometries may require more than one sensing position to achieve the necessary coverage and reduce unmonitored areas.
Load & Vehicle Geometry
Forks, racks, pallets and protruding material can extend beyond the vehicle body and change the swept area during movement or turning.
Coverage should follow the real moving envelope — not only the chassis.
The final installation should consider blind areas, scanner mounting height, body shape, load condition and the actual paths the vehicle follows in production.
06 Protective Field Design
Stopping Distance & Protective Field Design
The scanner’s maximum detection range is not the same thing as the protective distance required by an AGV. The field has to be designed around how the complete vehicle detects, reacts, brakes and finally comes to a stop.
Required Protective Distance
Conceptual illustration only. Final protective-field dimensions must
be determined and validated for the complete AGV / AMR system.
Vehicle Speed
Higher travel speed generally increases the distance required before a complete stop.
Safety-System Response
Detection and signal-processing time contribute to the overall stopping sequence.
AGV Control Response
The vehicle controller must process the safety state and initiate the required response.
Brake Response & Deceleration
Mechanical and drive-system behaviour affect the actual distance travelled before rest.
Payload & Operating Condition
Load, floor condition and vehicle configuration can influence stopping behaviour.
Installation Geometry
Scanner position, vehicle outline and required safety margins also affect field design.
System-Level Rule
The safety laser scanner is only one element of the protective function. The final protective field should be based on the complete vehicle’s verified stopping performance and applicable safety requirements.
07 Safety & Navigation
Safety Scanning vs Natural Navigation
Safety protection and navigation are different functions. SH27 S and D models provide the safety-scanner function, while D models additionally provide Ethernet raw scan data that can be used by an AGV natural- navigation system.
Safety Function
Protect People Around the Robot
The scanner’s safety-related outputs form part of the AGV safety chain and are used to initiate the required slowdown or safe-stop response.
Safety Laser Scanner
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Safety Output / Safety Control
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AGV Safety Response
SH27-S
SH27-D
Raw Scan Data
Support Natural-Navigation Applications
SH27 D models add Ethernet output for raw scan information such as distance, angle and echo-intensity data. This data can be supplied to the mobile robot’s navigation system.
SH27-D Scanner
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Ethernet Raw Scan Data
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AGV Navigation Computer / Algorithm
SH27-D
Requirement
SH27-S
SH27-D
Safety laser scanning
Yes
Yes
Safety outputs
Yes
Yes
Ethernet raw scan data
No
Yes
Natural-navigation data source
No
Yes, for integration with the navigation system
Ethernet raw scan data is separate from the scanner’s safety-output path.
The navigation computer, mapping / localization algorithm and complete
vehicle control architecture remain part of the AGV or AMR system.
08 Integration Concepts
Typical AGV / AMR System Architectures
The scanner can be integrated in different ways depending on whether the project requires safety protection only, separate navigation sensing, or safety scanning plus raw scan data from an SH27 D model.
Safety Scanner for Vehicle Protection
A straightforward architecture where the scanner is used as part of the mobile robot’s safety function.
Safety Laser Scanner
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Safety Input / Safety Controller
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AGV Motion Control
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Slowdown / Safe Stop
Safety + Separate Navigation Sensor
Safety and navigation are handled by separate sensing paths within the mobile-robot system.
Safety Scanner
Navigation Sensor
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Safety Control
Navigation Computer
SH27-D: Safety + Raw Scan Data
The D model keeps the safety function and additionally supplies raw scan information through Ethernet for the navigation system.
SH27-D
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Safety Outputs
Ethernet Raw Data
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Safety Control
Navigation System
09 Project Selection
How to Select a Safety Laser Scanner for Your AGV
Start with the mobile robot and its operating conditions rather than selecting a scanner from one specification alone. These project inputs help determine the required sensing and integration approach.
01
Vehicle Speed
Define normal and maximum travel speeds for the relevant operating modes.
02
Stopping Performance
Determine the verified distance and response sequence required to bring the vehicle to rest.
03
Vehicle Dimensions
Include chassis width, overhang, forks, carried material and other projecting parts.
04
Travel Direction
Identify forward-only, bidirectional, reversing and curved-path operation.
05
Scanner Installation
Confirm available mounting position, height, surrounding structure and potential blind areas.
06
Navigation Requirement
Decide whether the project needs safety protection only or also requires Ethernet raw scan data.
Safety Requirement
Safety Protection Only
An SH27 S configuration may be appropriate when the scanner is required for the safety function without Ethernet raw scan data.
Safety + Raw Data
Safety + Natural-Navigation Data
Consider an SH27 D configuration when the project also requires Ethernet raw scan information such as distance, angle and echo data.
10 Application FAQ
AGV & AMR Safety Laser Scanner FAQ
Practical questions that commonly arise when safety laser scanners are applied to automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots.
What is a safety laser scanner used for on an AGV?
It monitors configured areas around the moving vehicle and detects people or objects entering those areas. The scanner outputs are integrated into the AGV safety system so the vehicle can perform the required slowdown or safe-stop response.
What is the difference between a warning field and a protective field?
A warning field can be used for an earlier process response such as requesting reduced speed. A protective field forms part of the safety-related detection function and is used to initiate the required safe response when it is infringed.
Can one safety laser scanner protect both the front and rear of an AGV?
It depends on vehicle geometry, travel direction, scanner position and the required monitored areas. Vehicles that reverse frequently or have complex geometry may require more than one sensing position to achieve the necessary coverage.
How large should the protective field of an AGV be?
There is no single field size suitable for every vehicle. The required protective distance depends on factors including vehicle speed, system response, braking behaviour, payload, installation geometry and the safety margins required for the complete system.
Can the same scanner be used for AGV safety and natural navigation?
SH27 D models provide the safety-scanner function and additionally output Ethernet raw scan data such as distance, angle and echo information for integration with natural-navigation applications. The navigation-data path and the safety-output path remain functionally separate within the system.
Should I choose an SH27-S or SH27-D for my AGV?
If the project requires safety scanning without Ethernet raw scan data, an S model may be suitable. If the vehicle also requires raw distance, angle and echo data for a natural-navigation system, choose a D model. Detailed model specifications are available on the SH27 Series Safety Laser Scanner page.
AGV / AMR Project Support
Tell Us How Your Mobile Robot Moves, Stops and Navigates
Send us your vehicle speed, dimensions, stopping distance, travel direction, scanner installation position and navigation-data requirements. We can help you identify a suitable SH27 configuration for further project evaluation.
Vehicle Speed
Vehicle Dimensions
Stopping Distance
Travel Direction
Mounting Position
Navigation Requirement