SICK Laser / Camera (nanoScan3 Core I/O)

A safety scanner has two jobs that pull against each other: it must watch a wide area closely, and it must never get in the way of the machine it protects. The SICK Laser / Camera (nanoScan3 Core I/O) is built around that balance, with a 275° view, a 3 m protective field and a housing that weighs 0.67 kg.

The product is available through this page, by quotation.

Background

SICK and the safety laser scanner

SICK is a long-established maker of sensors for factory and logistics automation, and its safety laser scanners are used wherever people and moving machines share floor space. A safety laser scanner sends out pulses of light, measures how long they take to return, and builds a picture of the surroundings. If something enters a protective field that has been configured, the scanner switches its safety outputs so that the machine can stop.

This class of device is found on automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, and at the open sides of machine cells. For a region such as the Caribbean, where warehouses, packaging plants and port-related logistics are adding automation step by step, a compact scanner of this kind is often the first safety component a project specifies.

Where the nanoScan3 Core I/O sits

The nanoScan3 range includes the nanoScan3 Core I/O, nanoScan3 Pro I/O, nanoScan3 Pro I/O – EFI-pro, nanoScan3 Pro – EFI-pro and nanoScan3 Pro – EtherNet/IP versions. This page covers the nanoScan3 Core I/O only, and every figure below belongs to that version. It is supplied as a sensor without system plug and is intended for indoor use.

The Core I/O version is configured from a PC with the Safety Designer configuration and diagnostic software, connected through a micro USB port. It offers 8 fields and one OSSD pair, which makes it a straightforward choice where a single safety output pair is enough.

Technical Specifications

Specifications as published by the manufacturer; confirmed against the datasheet at quotation.

The manufacturer has not published the package contents, the Ethernet data rate, the scan frequency or the humidity range; they are confirmed at quotation.

What makes the nanoScan3 Core I/O different from a general-purpose laser scanner?

A navigation lidar tells a robot where it is. A safety scanner tells the machine when it must stop. The nanoScan3 Core I/O belongs to the second group, and the figures show it: it carries SIL 2 under IEC 61508 and PL d under EN ISO 13849, and it provides an OSSD pair, which is the safety output that a safety controller or a machine stop circuit reads.

The protective field is the area in which an intrusion triggers a stop, and here it reaches 3 m. The warning field extends to 10 m, so a vehicle can slow down or sound a signal well before anyone is inside the protective zone. Beyond both, the distance measuring range of 40 m gives the scanner a longer view of its surroundings.

The response time is 70 ms, and the angular resolution is 0.17°. Together they describe how quickly the scanner reacts and how finely it divides the space it watches. With 8 fields, you can define several protective and warning layouts, for example one for a vehicle moving slowly and another for travelling at its working pace, if your safety design calls for it.

How compact and rugged is it for a mobile robot?

On a vehicle, every gram and every centimeter counts. The scanner measures 106.6 mm x 80 mm x 117.5 mm including the system plug and weighs 0.67 kg. Its housing is aluminum, and the enclosure rating is IP65 under IEC 60529. Typical power consumption is 3.9 W without output load, which matters on battery-driven platforms.

The scanner works at ambient temperatures from –10 °C to +50 °C and is specified for indoor application. It uses a 905 nm wavelength and is laser class 1 under 21 CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11 and IEC 60825-1. The scanning angle of 275° means that, mounted at the corner of a vehicle, it can cover a large part of the surroundings of that corner.

Setup is done on a PC. You connect it over the USB 2.0 micro USB port, and the Safety Designer software is used to configure and diagnose the device.

Who is the SICK Laser / Camera (nanoScan3 Core I/O) for?

The first group is builders of autonomous mobile robots and automated guided vehicles who need a certified protective sensor with a single OSSD pair. If your vehicle design is covered by one safety output pair, this version fits the requirement.

The second group is machine builders and integrators who guard the access side of a cell or a workstation indoors. A 3 m protective field and a 10 m warning field allow a clear separation between a warning zone and a stop zone.

The third group is plant and warehouse engineers who retrofit older equipment. If you are planning vehicles for storage and transport, see our Logistics Robots category; for production-floor automation, browse Factory Robots.

If your safety concept needs a different interface or communication standard, the nanoScan3 range also includes the Pro I/O, Pro I/O – EFI-pro, Pro – EFI-pro and Pro – EtherNet/IP versions. Their figures are not covered here, so please name the version you need when you request a quotation.

What is the SICK Laser / Camera (nanoScan3 Core I/O) used for?

1. Vehicle protection. Guarding the travel path of an automated guided vehicle or autonomous mobile robot so it stops before contact.
2. Cell access safeguarding. Watching the open side of a machine cell or workstation and signaling when a person steps in.
3. Warning zones. Using the 10 m warning field to slow equipment or alert staff before the protective field is reached.
4. Multiple field layouts. Using the 8 fields to switch between protection layouts for different operating situations.
5. Environment sensing. Using the 40 m distance measuring range for a wider view of the surroundings.
6. Retrofit safety upgrades. Adding a certified scanner to existing indoor equipment through its OSSD pair.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing is by quotation. Send us your application, the version you need and the quantity, and we will respond with a quotation. Delivery, customs and support are arranged together with the quotation, so you know the full picture before you commit. The SICK Laser / Camera (nanoScan3 Core I/O) is available on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What safety ratings does the nanoScan3 Core I/O carry?

It is rated SIL 2 under IEC 61508 and PL d under EN ISO 13849. It provides one OSSD pair.

How far does the protective field reach?

The protective field range is 3 m and the warning field range is 10 m. The distance measuring range is 40 m.

Can I use it outdoors?

The application is listed as indoor. The enclosure rating is IP65 under IEC 60529, and the ambient operating temperature is –10 °C to +50 °C.

How is it configured?

You configure it from a PC with the Safety Designer configuration and diagnostic software. The connection is USB 2.0 with a micro USB port.

How many fields can I define?

The scanner offers 8 fields. The scanning angle is 275° and the angular resolution is 0.17°.

Is the system plug included?

The model is listed as a sensor without system plug. Tell us what your installation needs when you request a quotation.

Where can I buy the nanoScan3 Core I/O and what does it cost?

You can request it through this page, and the cost is given in a quotation based on your version and quantity. Delivery, customs and support are arranged with that quotation.

Summary

The SICK Laser / Camera (nanoScan3 Core I/O) answers the tension we began with: it watches widely, with a 275° scanning angle and a 40 m distance measuring range, yet stays small, light and low in power use. Its SIL 2 and PL d ratings, one OSSD pair, 8 fields and 70 ms response time make it a clear choice for indoor machine and vehicle protection. For a quotation on this version, this page is the starting point.