SkyBeam: Automation & integration, every question, answered
58 answers below, written from the manufacturer's manuals and our own bench experience. Prefer to tap through them? The same answers power the live chat in the corner. Ready to buy? See the SkyBeam or request a quote.
Can a PLC control the SkyBeam?
Yes - the rear-panel terminal blocks expose isolated logic signals for high-speed control by machine controllers or PLCs, and there is a documented RS-232 protocol for serial control and monitoring.
What is on the rear I/O terminal block?
A pluggable 24-pin (12 x 2) block: per-channel run/stop inputs, an emergency-interlock input, RS-232 TXD/RXD/GND terminals, and outputs for READY, BUSY1-4, ERROR, a 12 V auxiliary supply, ground and a frame-ground shield terminal.
Which pins start each channel?
Pins 1, 2, 4 and 5 are the stop/run inputs for channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Pins 3, 6 and 12 are the grounded COM1 input commons.
What feedback outputs are provided?
READY on pin 13, BUSY1-BUSY4 (channel-running feedback) on pins 14, 15, 17 and 18, and ERROR (fault feedback) on pin 20, with COM2 output commons on pins 16, 19 and 21.
Pin 22 supplies 12 VDC (100 mA max), pin 23 is its ground, and pin 24 is frame ground for cable shielding.
What are the output electrical ratings?
Outputs are rated 5-24 VDC load voltage at a maximum of 10 mA per output, with under 0.9 V drop in the on state. If you power them from the internal 12 V terminal, keep total load under 100 mA.
What signal type do the inputs expect?
No-voltage inputs - a dry contact, relay, foot switch, or an open-collector output from a PLC pulled to the COM1 common. The manual's section 7.1 shows wiring diagrams for each configuration.
How does the safety interlock work?
Pins 11 (EMER) and 12 (COM1) form the emergency safety interlock: when the circuit between them opens, exposure stops; when closed, the system runs normally. On automated lines, wire it to an E-stop or safety-guard interlock switch to protect operators from UV.
Do I need a jumper on the EMER pins?
Yes, if you are not wiring a real interlock - at minimum a jumper between terminals 11 (EMER) and 12 (COM1) is required, otherwise the external safety interlock circuit shuts the LEDs down.
How does the foot switch behave?
With the timer in Automatic mode, a momentary press turns the LEDs on for the set irradiation time, then they shut off on their own; a second press ends the exposure early unless LOCK is on. In Manual mode, the LEDs stay on only while the switch is held down.
How is the foot switch wired?
The included UV4045 foot switch has a 2-meter cable with flying leads: the red signal wire lands on the channel's run/stop input (pin 1, 2, 4 or 5) and the white wire on pin 3, the grounded common.
Can one switch trigger several channels?
Yes - turn the LINK system parameter on for the channels you want ganged, and any linked channel's external signal or front-panel key triggers them all. You can also simply wire the trigger inputs in parallel.
What is the RS-232 connector pinout?
On the rear 9-pin DSUB: pin 2 is send data, pin 3 is receive data, pin 5 is signal ground; all other pins are unconnected. Alternatively, wire to terminal-block pins 7 (TXD), 8 (RXD) and 9 (GND).
How do I open serial communication?
Every command is prefixed with the ASCII string uvled. Send uvled by itself and the controller answers with a colon character (hex 0x3A) to confirm the connection is good.
What is the serial command format?
After the uvled prefix: 0x23, then the command byte, then the channel address, then a data high byte and data low byte. Addresses 00 through 03 select UV channels 1 through 4.
How do I run or stop a channel by RS-232?
Use command 0x0E: uvled + 0x23 + 0x0E + address + 0xFF + data. A data low byte of 1 runs the channel and 0 stops it.
How do I set UV power over RS-232?
Commands 0x00 through 0x0D set intensity for the A mode, M mode and steps ST1-ST12 respectively - 14 intensity values in all. The data low byte carries the intensity, anywhere from 10 to 100 percent.
How do I set exposure time by serial?
Commands 0x10 through 0x1C set the time for A mode and steps ST1-ST12 (13 time values). The high and low data bytes carry 0-9999 in 0.1-second increments, i.e. 0 to 999.9 seconds.
Can I change channel modes remotely?
Yes - command 0x1E sets the running mode: data 1 is Automatic (A), 2 is step (ST), 3 is Manual (M), and 4 is CLOSE (channel disabled).
How do I set the step count over serial?
Command 0x1F sets the number of steps in ST mode, with a data low byte of 1 to 12.
From the front panel, step mode supports up to 16 steps; the serial protocol addresses steps ST1-ST12.
Can I read status back over RS-232?
Yes - adding 0x40 to any command byte turns it into a check command. You can query run/stop status, PULSE or LOW mode, power settings, running mode, step count and irradiation times per channel.
Can I read LED hours remotely?
Yes - command 0x25 checks a channel's total running time. The response carries the cumulative hours in its two data bytes, the same life record shown on the front panel.
How are faults reported over serial?
The controller sends fault feedback with an error code: E20 for an open-circuit fault, E30 for a short-circuit fault, and E40 for an overheat fault. The same codes appear in the channel display.
Can settings be saved over serial?
Yes - the save-settings command is 0x23 + 0xEE + 0xAA + 0xFF + 0xFF (after the uvled prefix), and the controller responds with 0x24 + 0xEE + 0xAA + 0xFF + 0xFF.
How do I confirm a command was accepted?
After a correctly received command, the controller returns 0x3A + 0x24 followed by an echo of the four command bytes. A response containing an exclamation character (0x21) instead of the dollar character (0x24) means the command was not handled - recheck the packet, baud rate, format and cabling.
My PC has no serial port - options?
Use the UV4704 USB-to-RS232 adapter/converter, the accessory Uvitron lists for connecting a PC or PLC for remote control.
Any tips for electrically noisy cells?
For long RS-232 runs or high-EMI environments, use shielded cable and land the shield drain wire on the FG terminal at pin 24. Keep total serial cable length at or under 15 meters.
What is LOW vs PULSE trigger mode?
It sets how a channel interprets its external signal. With LOW off (pulse behavior), a momentary signal turns the channel on or off; with LOW on, a continuous low signal holds the channel on for as long as it is asserted.
Can a channel follow a PLC level signal?
Yes - set the channel's LOW parameter to ON and the channel stays on while the PLC holds the signal, turning off when it releases. That gives the line controller direct level control of the cure window.
Can I prevent accidental mid-cure aborts?
Yes - turn LOCK on. In automatic mode, a second trigger signal then cannot abort a running exposure, so every part gets its full programmed dose. With LOCK off, a second trigger stops the exposure at any time.
Can the beeper be turned off?
Yes - the BUZZ system parameter enables or disables the buzzer that beeps on system events.
Can I invert the ERROR output logic?
Yes - the ERRN parameter flips it. The default (ERRN off) asserts the ERROR signal when a fault occurs; ERRN on asserts it when the system is normal, whichever matches your PLC's fail-safe convention.
Can I invert the READY output logic?
Yes - RDYN controls it. By default READY is asserted when no exposure is in progress; setting RDYN on asserts READY while an exposure is running instead.
Can I copy settings between channels?
Yes - turn COPY on for the channels you want to match, and they take the operating parameters of the first channel with COPY on. It is a quick way to replicate a proven recipe across all four channels.
How do I lock out parameter changes?
Use the front-panel security key switch: parameters can only be changed with the key turned on, so turn it off and remove the key once the recipe is set. Two keys (UV4046) are included.
Can the controller mount inside a machine?
Yes - remove the four mounting-feet screws, pass them through a mounting plate and back through the feet into the threaded holes in the chassis bottom. If you use longer screws, do not exceed the maximum penetration into the chassis.
How should light guides be fixtured?
Mount each guide on a fixture that avoids strong external mechanical force, keep the cable bend radius at 50 mm or more, and keep the guide's working environment below 40 C.
Can guides ride on moving axes?
Yes - the flexible guide cable is rated for more than 10 million bending cycles and is 2 meters long as standard, so it suits moving fixtures and end effectors on production lines. Respect the 50 mm minimum bend radius in your cable routing.
Can it run continuously all shift?
Yes - order fan-cooled light guides, which have better heat dissipation and are the recommended type for continuous operation; convection-cooled guides suit intermittent duty in a smaller package.
Each guide has a built-in temperature sensor that regulates fan speed and prevents overheating, with an over-temp warning and shutdown as backstops.
How do I integrate with a conveyor line?
Have the PLC pulse the channel run/stop inputs at each index, watch BUSY1-4 to confirm each exposure and READY/ERROR for system state, and wire the machine guarding into the EMER interlock. Timed automatic mode delivers the same dose every cycle.
How quickly can cure cycles repeat?
LEDs are instant on/off with no warm-up required, so the practical cycle rate is set by your exposure time and part handling, not the light source. There is no shutter and no lamp to keep hot between parts.
What is the timer range and resolution?
Each channel's automatic-mode timer runs 0 to 999.9 seconds in 0.1-second increments. In manual mode there is no timer - the LEDs follow the control signal on and off.
Does it support multi-step exposures?
Yes - step (16ST) mode programs 1 to 16 steps, each with its own UV power and 0.1-second-resolution time, and the PS parameter repeats the sequence 1 to 99 times.
Can one controller serve four stations?
Yes - there are four independent run/stop inputs, four BUSY feedback outputs, and per-channel recipes and life logs, so four fixtures or operators can share one SkyBeam.
How do I fire all four channels at once?
Turn LINK on for all four channels so any one trigger starts them together, or wire the four inputs in parallel to a single contact or PLC output.
What happens when the E-stop opens?
Opening the circuit between pins 11 and 12 stops the light exposure immediately, and it stays inhibited until the interlock closes again. The EMER system parameter lets you enable or disable the emergency-stop function per channel.
Where should it mount inside a cell?
Anywhere flat with 6 inches of clearance on all sides for unrestricted airflow, clean cool air (dust and vapors foul lenses and cooling), a view of the LCD, and access to the rear cabling and power switch.
What power does an integrated unit need?
A single-phase 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz feed - the supply is wide-range (90-264 VAC) and power-factor corrected. Maximum input current is just 1.0 A at 120 V or 0.5 A at 240 V.
What is the 12 V terminal for?
Pin 22 provides a 12 VDC auxiliary output (100 mA maximum, ground on pin 23) for powering the interface signal circuits - for example sourcing the SkyBeam's feedback outputs into a PLC input card without an external supply.
Can I hot-plug light guides?
No - never plug or unplug light guide connectors with controller power on, or you risk damaging the guide or controller. Power down first, and avoid ESD at the rear connectors.
What shielding does a UV cell need?
Enclose the exposure area with sheet metal, UV-blocking acrylic or polycarbonate, or welding curtains, and tie the guard door switch into the EMER interlock. Because spot systems deliver light to a small area, scatter is minimal and shielding is comparatively easy to build.
How do I track output drift on the line?
Log periodic radiometer readings at each guide tip against your validated dose window, and use the per-channel life records to schedule guide replacement. The manual recommends radiometer monitoring to verify intensity stays sufficient for complete curing.
Can the channel hour counter be reset?
Yes - the system parameters screen shows each channel's total irradiation time in hours (format 000000H00M00S), where it can be viewed or reset, for example after installing a new light guide.
Which front-panel keys trigger channels?
The arrow keys double as channel triggers: up fires channel 1, left channel 2, down channel 3, and right channel 4.
Is there a master stop control?
Yes - the Stop/Run button aborts exposure on all four UV channels at once, and must be pressed again before restarting. It also must be pressed to Stop before making parameter changes in Setup.
Can custom PC software run the unit?
Yes - the SkyBeam is designed to be monitored and controlled by customer-designed, application-specific software over the RS-232 port. Section 7.6 of the manual documents the full command set, response format and examples.
Any terminal block wiring specs?
Fastening torque is 0.2-0.3 N-m (1.77-2.66 in-lb). Do not nick conductor strands when stripping, do not twist the strands, and do not stress the wires after connection - a terminal-block screwdriver is included with the system.
What is the ALL terminal (pin 10)?
It is a reserved input - the manual says do not connect anything to it.
Does exposure stop by itself?
In automatic mode, yes - the timer counts down on the LCD and the LEDs turn off when it expires. In manual mode the LEDs follow the control signal, and a second trigger ends an automatic exposure early unless LOCK is enabled.
