Light barriers, light grids, optosensors/closing edge safety devices, slack rope switches, wicket door contacts as well as spiral cables and junction boxes – selection, applications and suitable products.
Overview & Goals
Safety components detect people, vehicles, and obstacles and stop or prevent dangerous door movements. This increases protection, availability, and energy efficiency – from hall access to high-speed doors.
This comparison guides you through the most important groups: light barriers , light grids , optosensors/closing edge safety devices , slack rope switches , wicket door contacts , and spiral cables & junction boxes . It features clear application examples, internal links, and easy-to-understand tables – even without prior knowledge.
Selection matrix (quick help)
| Application | What to protect/recognize? | Recommended | To the category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sectional door / sliding door / garage door | Passage, people, vehicles | Light barrier (one-way / reflection / passage) | Light barriers |
| Industrial door / high-speed door with high traffic volume | Area monitoring in front of the closing edge | Safety light grid (multi-beam) | Light grid |
| Door closure / moving closing edge | Contact/Opto along the bottom edge | Optosensors / closing edge protection, safety contact strip 8.2k | Optosensors & closing edge |
| Sectional door with cable pull | Detect rope slippage (safety shutdown) | Slack rope switch | Slack rope switch |
| Gate with wicket door | Wicket door locking (gate only moves when the door is closed) | Wicket door contact (magnetic switch) | Wicket door contacts |
| Movable gate leaves / gate leaf transition | Safe cable routing | Spiral cables & junction boxes | Spiral cables & sockets |
Light barriers (gates & doors)
Photoelectric barriers detect interruptions in an infrared beam. They secure passage and prevent closing when encountering obstacles – ideal for industrial gates, sliding gates, and garage doors.
Use & Benefits
- Through-beam photoelectric sensor: transmitter ↔ receiver, insensitive to reflections.
- Retroreflective photoelectric sensor: transmitter/receiver in one housing, minimal installation effort.
- Passage light barrier: wide beam for passage monitoring.
Top selection (examples with direct link)
| type | Short description | Direct link |
|---|---|---|
| Sommer 99738 One-way photoelectric sensor | 12–24 V, proven gate photocell for passage protection | To the product |
| Sommer 5233 reflective photoelectric sensor | Reflection principle, simple wiring | To the product |
| Marantec Special 630 (one-way) | Variants for bottom/top, 2-wire/4-wire | below · above |
| Marantec Special 633 (one-way/reflex) | 8–20 m (depending on model), optionally with cable set | Disposable · Reflex (with cable) |
| Pro‑Line drive-through photocell | Wide protection of the gate opening | To the product |
Show all products (light barriers)
- sommer-99738-one-way-light-barrier-12-24v
- summer-5003-weatherproof-housing-light-barrier
- summer-5233-reflective-light-barrier-12m
- summer-reflective-light-barrier-21m-5228
- marantec-special-630-one-way-photocell-bottom-2mm
- marantec-special-630-one-way-photocell-8m-2-wire-with-2-connection-cables
- marantec-special-630-one-way-photocell-top-1mm
- marantec-special-633r-reflection-photocell-20m-4-wire-without-cable
- marantec-special-633l-20m-2-wire-reflection-photocell-without-cable
- marantec-special-633l-20m-2-wire-reflection-photocell-with-20m-cable
- marantec-special-633-one-way-photocell-8m-without-cable
- marantec-special-633-one-way-photocell-8m-2-wire-20m-cable
- Marantec mounting bracket 12-24v photocell set of 2 75041
- marantec-mounting-bracket-set-for-photocell-special-630
- Marantec one-way photocell 24-240VAC-DC 10m with mounting brackets
- Marantec one-way photocell 12-24v ac-dc 10m with cable
- marantec-special-630-one-way-photocell-8m-range
- marantec-photocell-ex-reflex-in-housing-8m-2-wire
- marantec-photocell-ex-reflex-8m-2-wire-ip67
- marantec-pull-in-protection-10m-24v-dc
- marantec-photocell-special-670-two-wire
- marantec-reflex-photocell-special-6132-2-wire
- pro-line transit light barrier
Light grids (industrial doors)
Safety light grids monitor an area with multiple beams. They are ideal for wide doors, high-frequency applications, and mixed traffic (forklifts and pedestrians). They increase safety at high-speed doors and industrial gates.
Top selection (examples)
| system | Short description | Direct link |
|---|---|---|
| Marantec GridScan Pro (1.96 m) | Protective field height 1.96 m, accessories & cables available | To the product |
| Marantec GridScan Pro (2.50 m) | Protective field height 2.50 m, easy to install | To the product |
Show all products (light grids)
- marantec-smartreflect-reflective light barrier-2-5m
- mounting-set-90-angle-gridscan-pro
- mounting-set-clips-gridscan-pro
- gridscan-pro-1-960
- gridscan-pro-2-500
- protective cover-gridscan-pro-1-960
- protective cover-gridscan-pro-2-500
- extension-sync-10m-gridscan-pro
- extension-sync-3m-gridscan-pro
- extension-sync-5m-gridscan-pro
- pro-line-cnd1-control-cable
- pro-line-light-grid-gs-pro-complete
- pro-line-light-grid-gs-pro-control-cable
Optosensors & closing edge safety
Optosensors and closing edge safety devices monitor the bottom edge of the door. They react upon contact or interruption of the optical signal. Typical terms: closing edge safety device, 8.2k safety contact strip, optical closing edge, OSE system .
Use & Benefits
- Optical (OSE): high sensitivity, concealed mounting in the profile.
- Contact strip 8.2k: robust, widely used standard for gate controls.
- Profiles & end caps: Accessories for a clean finish and safe operation.
Top selection (examples)
| System/Part | Short description | Direct link |
|---|---|---|
| Marantec Protect Opto 602 (Duo) | Leading light barrier at the closing edge | To the product |
| Safety contact strip 8.2k (summer) | Electrical contact strip, extensive accessories | To the bar |
| F-profiles P1–P6 (Marantec) | Door end profiles for optosensor systems | P1 · P2 · P4 · P6 |
Show all products (optosensors & closing edge)
- summer-end-cap-connecting-cable-rubber-profile-38x67x20mm
- marantec-protect-opto-602-leading-photocell
- marantec-connection-cable-6-wire-tbad-1
- pro-line closing edge safety opto-sensors
- summer-end-cap-safety-contact-edge-8-2k
- summer-aluminum-k-rail-1000mm-skl-8-2k
- summer-safety-contact-edge-electric-8-2k-65mm
- marantec-optosensor-set-10-5m-sender-0-4m-empf
- marantec-optosensor-set-10-5m-sender-1m-empf
- marantec-optosensor-set-15m-sender-0-4m-empf
- marantec-optosensor-set-6-5m-sender-0-5m-empf
- marantec-f-sender-0-5m-ose
- marantec-f-sender-4m-ose
- marantec-f-sender-10-5m-ose
- marantec-f-sender-6m-ose
- marantec-f-profil-p6
- marantec-f-profil-p4
- marantec-f-profil-p2
- marantec-f-profil-p1
- marantec-f-spacer sleeve-11-22mm
Slack rope switch
Slack rope switches monitor the rope tension on sectional doors. If the rope slips, the door is stopped—important for personnel and system safety.
Typical advantages
- Quick diagnosis of rope problems
- Suitable for right/left, various cable lengths
- Variants: conventional, plug-in, with positive opening (8.2 kΩ)
Show all products (slack rope switches)
- Hormann-30-40-without-housing-0-5m-system-cabling
- in-piston-0-4m-pluggable-nc
- with-axle-lever-left-right-convertible
- in-piston-0-4m-conventional-nc-1
- in-piston-8-5m-conventional-nc-1
- in-piston-0-4m-pluggable-forced-opening-8-2k
- in-piston-0-4m-conventional-nc
- im-kolben-8-5m-conventional-nc
- Hormann-30-40-in-a-housing-0-5m-conventional
- Hormann-30-40-without-housing-0-5m-conventional
- right-8-5m-conventional-forced-opening-8-2k
- right-0-4m-conventional-forced-opening-8-2k
- right-0-4m-pluggable-forced opening-8-2k
- right-8-5m-conventional
- right-0-4m-conventional
- right-0-4m-pluggable
- left-0-4m-conventional-forced-opening-8-2k
- left-0-4m-pluggable-forced opening-8-2k
- left-8-5m-conventional
- left-0-4m-conventional
- left-0-4m-pluggable
- set-teckentrup-industrial-doors-0-5m-set of 2
Wicket door contacts
Wicket door contacts lock the door when the wicket door is open. The door is only allowed to move when the door is securely closed. This prevents dangerous situations in the passageway.
Spiral cables & junction boxes
Coiled cables ensure secure, flexible routing between the door leaf and the frame/junction box—essential for optosensors, contact strips, and control elements. Accessories such as brackets simplify installation.
Top selection (examples)
| variant | Short description | Direct link |
|---|---|---|
| Marantec spiral cable 5×0.25 mm (1.6 m) | with plug for door leaf connection box | To the product |
| Pro‑Line CND1 spiral cable 3 m | for optosensors/contact strip, incl. resistor | To the product |
Show all products (coiled cables & junction boxes)
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0-25-1-6m with plug
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0.25 3m with plug
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0-25-5m with plug
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0-25-5m with plug sockets
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0-5-1-6m with plug
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0.5-3m with plug
- Marantec spiral cable 5x0-5-5m with plug
- pro-line-bracket-mount-spiral-cable
- pro-line-cnd1-spiral-cable-1-6m-incl-resistor
- pro-line-cnd1-spiral-cable-3m-incl-resistor
- pro-line-cnd1-spiral-cable-5m-incl-resistor
- universal spiral cable 5 cores 1-6m
- universal spiral cable 5 cores 3m
- universal spiral cable-5-core-5m
Practical examples (Mainz/Wiesbaden)
Goods exit Mainz: High-speed gate with mixed traffic
Wide gate opening, forklifts, and pedestrians. Solution: Light grid for area protection, supplemented by a spiral cable for secure sensor routing.
Workshop Wiesbaden: Sectional door with wicket door
Danger when the wicket door is open. Solution: Wicket door contact for locking plus closing edge safety device on the door edge.
FAQ – Safety components on gates
What is the difference between a light barrier and a light grid?
Light barriers secure a line (beam), light grids monitor an area with several beams – ideal for wide openings and heavy traffic.
When do I use a closing edge safety device?
If the bottom edge of the door could touch people or objects, optosensors or contact strips (8.2 kΩ) stop the movement in time.
Is a reflective light barrier sufficient for an industrial gate?
For simple passage control, often yes. For wide, busy areas or high-speed doors, a light curtain is more appropriate.
What is a slack rope switch used for?
It detects cable slippage on sectional doors and stops the door – important for safety and drive protection.
Why wicket door contacts?
They prevent door travel when the wicket door is open, i.e. precisely when people could be standing in the danger zone.
Do I need special cables?
Yes, moving cables should be coiled . This protects the cables and ensures reliable signals.
Which terms are frequently searched?
Photocell gate, reflective photocell, passage photocell, safety light grid, closing edge safety device, safety contact strip 8.2k, OSE optosensor, spiral cable gate, slack rope switch sectional door, wicket door contact.
Can I mix systems?
Yes, a combination of closing edge safety plus a light barrier or light grid often makes sense – depending on the on-site risk analysis.
What should you pay attention to during installation?
Clean alignment, correct installation height, stress-free cable routes, protective housing if necessary – and functional testing after commissioning.
Contact & Conclusion
Secure gates require the right sensors: light barriers , light grids , closing edge safety devices , slack rope switches , wicket door contacts , and spiral cables and junction boxes . We're happy to assist you with selection and wiring. Contact us .
