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Choosing and Using an Inductive

Proximity Sensor
Once you 抳 e decided that an inductive proximity sensor will best satisfy your requirements, your next step should be
to learn the basic details of how to install and put them to work.

Greg Wiese, Rockwell Automation

such a variety of inductive proximity sensors on the market, how do you know which one is right for your application? Target size, shape, and material, along
h operating temperature, power requirements, and surrounding metals should all play integral parts in your selection process. Failure to consider any of these
ctors could lead to application difficulties or unstable sensor operation. Giving each of them careful consideration will go a long way toward satisfactory selection,
tallation, and service life.

Is an Inductive Sensor the Answer?

An important question to answer right off the bat is whether an inductive prox provides ample sensing
range for the application. Typical cylindrical inductive proximity sensors (see Photo 1) have maximum
ranges up to 15 mm; other configurations can go as high as 70 mm. It is important to note that sensing
distance is directly proportional to sensor size. When choosing a prox, keep both sensing range and
sensor size in mind.

Target Considerations
The shape of a target directly influences sensing distance. Flat targets are preferable; if the target is
round or irregular, the sensing distance decreases. Targets smaller than the sensing face will reduce
the sensing distance, and those larger than the sensing face may increase it. The rated nominal
sensing range is determined with a standardized mild steel target. Sensing distance varies for all other
target materials (see the text box, ?A HREF="#sidebar1">Determining Sensing Distance?. Nonferrous
materials are typically more difficult to detect than ferrous materials and thus result in shorter sensing
distances (with the exception of aluminum foil).

Shielded vs. Unshielded

Once you have determined target compatibility you are ready to decide whether to use a shielded or
Photo 1. Proximity sensors applications vary greatly
an unshielded prox. Shielded sensors can be fully embedded in surrounding metal, even flush by industry. Manufacturers of these devices, such as
mounted in steel. Unshielded devices cannot, but they have a longer sensing distance than that of Rockwell Automation's family of Allen-Bradley
products, offer a variety of sensor types and sizes,
shielded proxes. So there is a tradeoff, and the choice must be dictated by the application including models designed to withstand contact with
requirements. harsh chemicals, survive frequent washdowns, or for
use in applications where weld field immunity is
required.
Sensor Mounting
It is important to adhere to specific mounting guidelines when multiple sensors are to be used in an application. These rules will change based on sensor type.
For example:

• Adjacent shielded cylindrical inductive sensors should be mounted at least one diameter of a sensing face apart; face-to-face sensors should be
spaced at twice that diameter.
• Adjacent unshielded cylindrical inductive sensors should be mounted at least three sensing face diameters apart; for face-to-face sensors, that value
should be four.

Electrical and Power Considerations

The choice of AC or DC power is the easy part. Most sensor applications run either at 24 VDC or at 120 VAC. The two most popular voltage ranges for proxes
are 10?0 VDC and 20?50 VAC/DC. But there are other power-related considerations, including output type, load current, leakage current, voltage drop,
switching frequency, and electrical protection. Do you want to use normally open or normally closed, 2-wire or 3-wire, sourcing (PNP) or sinking (NPN)梠 r do
you want to go with special outputs such as NAMUR for hazardous locations or an analog output for quantitative distance measurement?

Load current is important for proper operation with interface devices. Since most sensors drive low load current PLCs, you must ensure load current
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compatibility. Two-wire DC and AC sensors are designed to need a minimum load current in order to operate; if the current falls below the minimum, the sensor
will not turn on.

Leakage (off-state) current is important in ensuring that the interface can distinguish between the ON and OFF states of AC or DC 2-wire sensors. If the sensor
抯 leakage current is greater than the interface 抯 ON threshold, the interface will not be able to detect whether the sensor is on or off. To select the correct load
when you are wiring proxes in parallel, be sure to take into account the sum of the leakage currents.

When calculating the cumulative voltage drop of a circuit, especially one containing 2-wire sensors, include the voltage drop across the load when it is
energized. If you don 抰, you run the risk of accumulating too great a voltage drop around the circuit in question and rendering the sensor useless.

Switching frequency, the maximum speed at which the sensor will output discrete pulses as a target moves into and out of the sensing field, is another
important factor. Smaller sensors have faster switching speeds, and 3-wire DC switches are faster than 2-wire DC or AC sensors. For example, high-speed
gear counting, packaging, or assembly applications frequently use 3-wire DC sensors. The actual switching frequency will depend on target size, distance from
the sensing face, distance between the targets, speed of the target, and size of the switch. The distance between two targets must be great enough to allow the
switch to turn off before turning back on.

For example, if the application entails the sensing of gear teeth, you must consider the gaps between the teeth, the depth of those gaps, and the speed of the
gear. If the gear teeth are passing by the sensor too quickly, it will not have enough time to stop sensing one tooth before the next comes along. It would be
stuck at ON. You need to pick a sensor with a response time fast enough to handle the rate at which the teeth pass by. If the gear teeth are too close together,
there will not be time for one tooth to leave the sensor 抯 field of view before the next tooth enters it, regardless of speed. Again, the sensor is stuck at ON. So
select a sensor small enough that the entire sensing field can fit in the space between two gear teeth. Another problem can arise from notches that are too
shallow. Again, the sensor won 抰 turn off between teeth because it will be sensing the metal at the bottom of the notch. The corrective is to position the sensor
so that it is close enough to detect the teeth but far enough away to not sense the bottoms of the notches.

The final electrical factor is protection schemes. These may include:

• Short-circuit protection, which prevents damage to the sensor output during a short-circuit condition
• Overload protection, which prevents damage to the sensor when the load current is too high
• Reverse polarity protection, which prevents sensor damage when the polarity of the power leads is reversed (negative power lead connected to
sensor positive and vice versa)
• False pulse protection, which makes it impossible for a false signal to be transmitted to the load upon sensor power-up
• Transient noise protection, which ensures proper sensor operation when fast transients such as those created by fast switching motors or drives are
induced in the wiring
• Other specialized protections, such as weld field immunity, which might be required by a particular application

What Else Should You Consider?

Standard NEMA and IEC ratings can help determine the appropriateness of a sensor in specific environments. However, these ratings were designed for
generic enclosures and may not provide an adequate description of the capabilities of the sensor in many difficult applications. It is important to note that the
IP68 (IEC) rating is more appropriate for switches used in submersible applications.

Most inductive proxes are designed to operate at ?5 癈 to 70 癈 (?3 癋 to 158 癋), the range of most
industrial applications. There are also, however, high- and low-temperature proxes to satisfy specific
requirements.

Connecting and Mounting Proximity Sensors

Proximity sensors connect in a variety of ways, the most common of which are mini, micro, and pico
quick-disconnect (see Photo 2). Many pre-cabled models are also available, including Allen-Bradley 抯
ToughLink TM cable (see Photo 3) for harsh environments. There are also terminal chamber models
for use with raw cable, available with either ½ in. NPT or Pg. 13.5 mm conduit openings. A wide
variety of sensor mounting brackets is available. Spring-loaded brackets provide protection against Photo 2. Connectors are available in a number of
axial impact; beveled caps guard against sizes and designs. Considerations to keep in mind
when making a selection are water resistance,
immunity to oils and chemicals, and keyed
connections that eliminate mismating.
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damage from side impacts. Quick-change brackets allow quick and easy change-out of sensors
without readjustment of the sensing distance.

When installing a sensor, keeping in mind the maximum allowable torque will help prevent damage to
the threaded barrel and ensure a fixed sensing position, even under intense vibration.

Summary
With target characteristics, shielding, and electrical considerations calculated in advance, you can be
confident of avoiding assorted pitfalls and speed bumps. Choosing the right sensor, the first time and
every time, guarantees reductions in headaches, time, and money.

Photo 3. The Allen-Bradley ToughLink cable is an

SIDEBAR: example of a preleaded connection option that is
specially designed for use in harsh environments.

Determining Sensing Distance

Nominal sensing range (S ) of an inductive proximity sensor is determined using a 1 mm thick, mild steel square
n
target with side lengths equal to the diameter of the active face or three times the nominal switching distance,
whichever is greater. To eliminate the potential of the sensor 抯 missing the target, its size should be at least equal
to or greater than the standard target. If for any reason the target is smaller than standard, the nominal sensing
distance will be reduced. If the target is significantly smaller, it might not be detected.

To determine the nominal sensing distance for target materials other than the standard mild steel, multiply Sn by the
correction factor below. These factors can be used as a basic guideline.

(Nominal Sensing Range)

X (correction factor) = sensing range
Target Approx.
Material Correction
Factor
Mild steel 1.00
Stainless steel 0.85
Brass 0.50
Aluminum 0.45
Cooper 0.40