PANASONIC ST4 — Safety Light Curtains
Panasonic ST4: compact Type 4 single-beam safety sensor, PL e / SIL 3, 0.1–15 m, IP67 sensor head, PNP/NPN controller.
Status: In production
Brand: Panasonic
Product: Type 4 single-beam safety sensor (sensor head and controller)
Safety level: Type 4, Category 4, PL e, SIL 3
Operating range: 0.1–15 m
Sensing object: ø9 mm or larger opaque object
Series connection: up to 6 sets per controller; 18 sets with 3 controllers
Response time (ON→OFF): 25 ms or less (controller)
The Panasonic ST4 is a Type 4 single-beam safety sensor consisting of a sensor head (ST4-A1) and a controller (ST4-C11 or the high-functional ST4-C12EX); head and controller are always used together as a set. The sensor head detects opaque objects of ø9 mm or larger over 0.1–15 m, is rated IP67 and shares the mounting pitch of general-purpose photoelectric sensors. It is Type 4 to IEC 61496-1/2, Category 4, PL e to ISO 13849-1:2015 and SIL 3 to IEC 61508. Heads with the -V suffix have an emission amount adjuster.
On the controllers, OSSD1 and OSSD2 are set as dual PNP or dual NPN open-collector outputs with the polarity selection switch, max. 200 mA. OFF response is 25 ms or less; ON response is 90 ms or less with auto reset and 140 ms or less with manual reset. Thanks to semiconductor outputs there is no need to replace safety relays periodically. The ST4-C12EX adds three muting patterns, override, muting lamp output, four auxiliary outputs and a digital display showing error details. Head connection is by connector, and the spring-cage terminal blocks are removable.
Panasonic ST4 technical specifications
| General | |
|---|---|
| Applicable standards | IEC 61496-1/2 (Type 4), ISO 13849-1:2015 (Category 4, PL e), IEC 61508-1 to 3 (SIL 3), IEC 62061 (sensor head SIL 3, controller SILCL 3) |
| Certifications | CE, UKCA, UL/c-UL Listing, TÜV SÜD |
| Safety ratings | |
| PFHd (ST4-C11, 1–6 heads) | 4.79×10⁻¹⁰ – 1.35×10⁻⁹ |
| PFHd (ST4-C12EX, 1–6 heads) | 4.96×10⁻¹⁰ – 1.37×10⁻⁹ |
| MTTFd | more than 100 years |
| Detection | |
| Operating range | 0.1–15 m |
| Sensing object | ø9 mm or larger opaque object |
| Effective aperture angle | ±2.5° or less for a range exceeding 3 m |
| Emitting element | infrared LED (870 nm) |
| Interference prevention | up to 6 sets per controller; 18 sets with 3 controllers connected |
| Electrical characteristics | |
| Supply voltage (controller) | 24 V DC +10 / -15 %; sensor head supplied from controller |
| Current consumption | head: emitter 11 mA, receiver 9 mA or less; ST4-C11 100 mA, ST4-C12EX 120 mA or less |
| Outputs and indicators | |
| Control outputs (OSSD1, OSSD2) | dual PNP or dual NPN open collector, 1 system (polarity selection switch), max. 200 mA |
| Response time | OFF: 25 ms or less; ON: 90 ms (auto reset) / 140 ms (manual reset) or less |
| Auxiliary outputs | PNP/NPN, max. 100 mA; ST4-C11: 1, ST4-C12EX: 4 outputs |
| Muting lamp output | ST4-C12EX only: 24 V DC, 1–10 W lamp |
| Environmental | |
| Degree of protection | sensor head IP67; controller enclosure IP40, terminal IP20 (IEC) |
| Operating temperature | -10 to +55 °C (no condensation or icing) |
| Storage temperature | -25 to +70 °C |
| Ambient humidity | 30–85 % RH (storage 30–95 % RH) |
| Ambient illuminance (head) | incandescent lamp: 3,500 lx or less at the receiving face |
| Shock resistance | 300 m/s², X, Y and Z three times each |
| Mechanical and connection | |
| Material (head) | enclosure PBT, lens and indicator cover acrylic |
| Material (controller) | ABS; detachable spring-cage terminal |
| Cable extension (head) | up to 50 m total for emitter and receiver with exclusive cable |
Panasonic ST4 models
| Model | Type | Cable / connection | Key feature | Weight (net) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST4-A1 | sensor head (card code; order -J02 / -J02V / -J1 / -J1V) | 0.2 m or 1 m | 0.1–15 m, IP67 | approx. 45 g / 100 g |
| ST4-A1-J02 | sensor head (emitter + receiver) | 0.2 m cable with connector | 0.1–15 m, IP67 | approx. 45 g |
| ST4-A1-J02V | sensor head (emitter + receiver) | 0.2 m cable with connector | with emission amount adjuster | approx. 45 g |
| ST4-A1-J1 | sensor head (emitter + receiver) | 1 m cable with connector | 0.1–15 m, IP67 | approx. 100 g |
| ST4-A1-J1V | sensor head (emitter + receiver) | 1 m cable with connector | with emission amount adjuster | approx. 100 g |
| ST4-C11 | controller | head by connector, spring-cage terminal | 1 auxiliary output, 100 mA | approx. 180 g |
| ST4-C12EX | high-functional controller | head by connector, spring-cage terminal | muting (3 patterns), override, 4 auxiliary outputs, digital display, 120 mA | approx. 240 g |
Key features
- Operating range up to 15 m on the sensor head
- Compact head the size of general-purpose photoelectric sensors, same mounting pitch
- Heads connect in series with interference prevention; number of heads and controllers freely adjustable
- Beam interruption indicator on emitter and receiver for alignment and operation check
- PNP/NPN selection and semiconductor output on the controller
- ST4-C12EX: three muting patterns (including one compliant with ISO 12643) and digital display with error details
ST4 ordering codes
| Part number | Description |
|---|---|
| ST4-A1-J02 | sensor head, 0.2 m cable |
| ST4-A1-J02V | sensor head, 0.2 m cable, with emission amount adjuster |
| ST4-A1-J1 | sensor head, 1 m cable |
| ST4-A1-J1V | sensor head, 1 m cable, with emission amount adjuster |
| ST4-C11 | controller, dual PNP or dual NPN output |
| ST4-C12EX | high-functional controller with muting and override |
ST4 accessories
Accessories listed by the manufacturer for this product (ordered separately):
| Part number | Description |
|---|---|
| ST4-CCJ1E | extension cable, emitter, 1 m |
| ST4-CCJ1D | extension cable, receiver, 1 m |
| ST4-CCJ5E | extension cable, emitter, 5 m |
| ST4-CCJ5D | extension cable, receiver, 5 m |
| ST4-CCJ15E | extension cable, emitter, 15 m |
| ST4-CCJ15D | extension cable, receiver, 15 m |
| ST4-CCJ05-WY | branch cable for series connection, 0.5 m (2 cables) |
| MS-CX-1 | sensor head foot angled mounting bracket |
| MS-ST4-3 | sensor head back angled mounting bracket |
| MS-ST4-6 | sensor head foot biangled mounting bracket |
| OS-ST4-2 | round slit mask ø2 mm (reduces interference) |
| OS-ST4-3 | round slit mask ø3 mm (reduces interference) |
Other Panasonic Safety Light Curtains
- PANASONIC SF4D-F — Type 4 safety light curtain (finger protection, 14 mm)
- PANASONIC SF4D-H — Type 4 safety light curtain (hand protection, 25 mm)
- PANASONIC SF4D-A — Type 4 safety light curtain (arm/foot protection, 45 mm)
- PANASONIC SF4B-H12C / H96C — Compact Type 4 safety light curtain (hand protection, 25 mm)
- PANASONIC SF4B-A8C / A48C — Compact Type 4 safety light curtain (arm/foot protection, 45 mm)
- PANASONIC SF4C-F — Ultra-slim Type 4 safety light curtain (finger protection, 14 mm)
- PANASONIC SF4C-H — Ultra-slim Type 4 safety light curtain (hand protection, 25 mm)
- PANASONIC SF2C-H — Ultra-slim Type 2 safety light curtain (hand protection, 25 mm)
- PANASONIC BSF4-AH80 — Flameproof Type 4 safety light curtain
Models from other brands: Safety Light Curtains
Is this light curtain right for your machine?
Share the width and height of the opening to be guarded, the required resolution (finger/hand/body), the machine stopping time, the required performance level (PL) and your safety controller; let’s define the right model, safety distance and wiring together.
All product specifications are subject to change without notice. Validation of the safety function and the risk assessment remain the responsibility of the machine builder. Source: Panasonic Industry, https://industry.panasonic.com/global/en/products/fasys/sensor/safety/st4, https://industry.panasonic.com/global/en/products/fasys/sensor/safety/number/st4-a1-j02, https://industry.panasonic.com/global/en/products/fasys/sensor/safety/number/st4-c11, https://industry.panasonic.com/global/en/products/fasys/sensor/safety/number/st4-c12ex (accessed 25 September 2026).