Essential for engineers, quick selection skills for proximity sensors

The seemingly ordinary proximity sensor actually has a lot of attention, and the correct selection and use are crucial for improving the reliability and stability of the equipment. There are many aspects to consider when selecting a model, and specific choices should be flexible based on customer requirements and on-site conditions. Generally, the following situations can be considered.

1. Material of the tested object

Firstly, determine the material of the tested object. The material is metal, and both capacitive and inductive types can be tested. For non-metallic materials, capacitive types need to be selected.

2. The influence of materials on detection distance

Select a suitable range of sensors based on the detection distance requirements, and pay attention to the impact of different materials on the detection distance of the sensor. For example, for inductive type sensors, the attenuation factor of the material should be considered, while for capacitive type sensors, the dielectric constant of the material should be considered.

3. Other factors

Other aspects, such as selecting sensors with appropriate appearance and size based on the site, are commonly seen as follows:

① Appearance shape: circular, square, and grooved;

② Tested objects: iron, steel, copper, aluminum, plastic, water, paper, etc;

③ Working power supply: universal for DC, AC, and AC/DC;

④ Output form: normally open (NO), normally closed (NC);

⑤ Output method: two wire, three wire (NPN, PNP);

⑥ Installation method: shielded or unshielded;

⑦ Wiring method: wire lead out type, connector type, connector relay type;

⑧ Response frequency: How many objects need to be detected in one second.

4. Special requirements

For special needs caused by environmental impact, it is necessary to choose special models such as metal through type, high temperature resistance, pipeline liquid level detection, and corrosion-resistant casing.