Introduction

Inductiv e S ens ors

to

Inductive
Proximity Switches

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Block Diagram
O-ring seal
Epoxy resin LED
Plastic cover Coil
Cover paste
Inductiv e S ens ors

Ferrite core
IC Housing
Support Support ring
Printed board

Oscillator Comparator Output amp.

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Physical Basics
M12

R1 R2
Inductiv e S ens ors

Primary circuit: Secondary circuit:

sensor coil target
the alternating electromagnetic field created by the coil induces eddy
currents in the target if the target is made of non-ferromagnetic
material
the alternating electromagnetic field created by the coil induces eddy
currents and generates magnetic losses in the target if the target
is made of ferromagnetic material
the magnetic losses are higher than the losses generated by the eddy
currents
operating distances vary depending on the target material and are
normally shorter than the usable operating distance. They may
increase in case of target of thin NE foils.
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 Measurering the "Rated operation
distance"
Reference axis Steel Fe360
Inductiv e S ens ors

operating distance

☞ Test conditions
– ambient temperature: 20 °C
– Power supply: 24 V DC or 230 V AC
– Target: Steel Fe360, square, 1mm thick, length
diameter of active area or three
times rated operation distance (large
operating distance)
☞ High number of tested proximity switches
☞ Pure characteristic value witch disregards manufacturing
tolerances as well as temperature or voltage fluctuations

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Definition of Operation Distances 1
Target

☞ sn = Rated operation distance Su max. Su max. + Differential travel

Inductiv e S ens ors

Sr max. + Differential travel

Sr max.
☞ sr = Effective operating distance Sn + Differential travel
Sn
Sr min. + Differential travel
– single proximity switch Sr min.
Su min. + Differential travel
– voltage within the operating Su min.

voltage range Sa
– ambient temperature 23 °C + 5 °C
☞ 0.9* sn < sr < 1.1*sn
☞ su = usable operating distance
– single proximity switch
– voltage between 85% and 110% of
rated operating voltage
– temperature range -25 °C ... +70 °C
☞ 0.9* sr < su < 1.1*sr
☞ 0.81*sn < sa < 1.12*sn
☞ sa = assured operating distance

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Reduction Factor
Steel Fe360 (1)
Inductiv e S ens ors

Stainless steel (0.65 ... 0.85)

☞ Reduction factor records the
reduction of operating Brass (0.25 ... 0.55)
distance from the standard Aluminium (0.2 ... 0.5)
target because of the Copper (0.15 ... 0.45)
deviating object
characteristics s

☞ Reduction factor is a
function of
– conductivity
– permeability

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 Influence of the target characteristics
The area a*b is smaller than the area of the
standard target
Inductiv e S ens ors

– operating distance decreases

The area a*b is larger than the area of the
standard target
– no influence
The target is thicker than the standard
target
– influence is a function of penetration b
depth
– low penetration depth (small proximity
switches) ==> no influence
– high penetration depth (big proximity
switches) ==> operating distance
decreases a
The target is thinner than the standard d
target
– operating distance increases (only for
NE metals)

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Differential travel H

Distance between the operating point when

Inductiv e S ens ors

the target approaches the proximity switch off

switch and the release point when the Direction of
movement
target moves away switch on

less than 20% of the effective operating

distance sr

test conditions:
temperature range 23°C ( +/- 5°C)
power supply rated voltage
actuating
standard target : as already defined

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Frequency of operating cycles (f)
Target / no target ratio = 1:2
number of operating cycles
Inductiv e S ens ors

performed by a proximity switch

during a specified period of time.


This value is a function of the

oscillator frequency of the given
proximity switch
high oscillator frequency (small
operating distance) ==> high
frequency of operating cycles
low oscillator frequency (large
operating distance) ==> low
frequency of operating cycles

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Connection to PLC

Wiring
Inductiv e S ens ors

☞ In most applications the proximity PLC

switch is directly connected to the
input card of a PLC Input-card

Example:

☞ max. Frequency of operation cycles 5

kHz ==> period = 200 µs 24 VDC

☞ min. input pulse length = 66 µs

☞ Problem: time of the PLC
program

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Problem: Program Time
Inductiv e S ens ors

☞ The PLC-program works with

the input information which was Read IDI
read at the "Read-IDI-time"

Program time
☞ No changes of input PLC-Program
information's will be detected
during the "PLC-program time"
and "Write ODI-time"
Write ODI

☞ The output signal of the

proximity switch must be longer
than the program time

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Cylindrical Housing

☞ Diameter 3 mm ... 30 mm
Inductiv e S ens ors

(threaded or unthreaded)
☞ Housing materials
– High Grade Stainless Steel
303
– Brass, Nickel Plated or Teflon
Coated
– Semi-crystalline Polybutylen-
terephlatate (Crastin)
– Crystalline polyphenylen-
esulphide (Ryton)
☞ Crastin is resistant to
abrasion, heat and cold and
withstands hydrocarbons,
acids and seawater
☞ Ryton is retains form stability
up to 200 °C

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Embeddable/Non-embeddable Mounting
Inductiv e S ens ors

> 3*d
> 3*sn
> 3*sn

> 2*sn

d d
> 3*d
>d

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Advantages/Disadvantages of Embeddable
Mounting

Advantages Disadvantages
Inductiv e S ens ors

☞ no mutual influence when the ☞ achieve approx. 60% of the

distance between two operating distance of prox.
proximity switches is > switches intended for
diameter/length of sensing embeddable mounting
face
or
☞ real "flush" mounting in
conductive material ☞ higher volume than prox.
switches intended for
☞ less sensitive than non-em- embeddable mounting
beddable mountable prox.
switches to fault inducing
influences

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Quasi Embeddable Mounting

⇒ Proximity switch with increased operation distance (NEB ...)

Inductiv e S ens ors

⇒ Proximity switch for non-embeddable mounting

B
⇒ For ferromagnetic materials
A = 0.2*d d
A
⇒ For non-ferromagnetic materials
A = 0,1*d

⇒ Non-conductive materials
A=0

⇒ Distance between two proximity switches = d

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Problems of Increased Operation Distance
Inductiv e S ens ors

Increased operation distance

realised by pre-damping the 5
I/mA

oscillator of inductive Standard

proximity
switch
proximity switch 4

Current flow decreases due to 3

the pre-damping Increased

Operation
2 Distance
SW OFF

When the current flow SW ON

1
decreases further (e. g.
changing ambient s/mm

temperature, conductive dirt,

other magnetic fields, ...) the
oscillator may stop
oscillating

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Rectangular Housing

Surface Switch Screw-On Sensors

Inductiv e S ens ors

- Mountable on surface
- Sensing face upwards
- large front or sideways available
- Operating dist. > 50 mm - Housing material
- Housing material: PBT normally PBT
- Front face: 80x80 mm

VariKont / VariKontM
- standard mounting hole arrangement in
acc. with 60 947-5 (mech. roller lever limit switches)
- Material of the base: PTB or metal
- Housing material: PBT
- Front face:
VariKont: 40x40 mm or 55x55 mm
VariKont M: 30x30 mm
- Rotatable in 15° steps (VariKontM) or 90° steps VariKont

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Other Types of Housing
Inductiv e S ens ors

Ring Type Sensor

- Housing looks like a ring and is made of PBT
- magnetic field is concentrated in the ring
- activated output when the target moves into
the ring
- with bistabile output available
- no reduction factor

Slot Type Sensors

- U-shaped housing made of PBT
- magnetic field is built up between two coils
positioned opposite each other in the sides
of the U
- activated output when the target enters the slot
between the coils
- no reduction factor
- Entry depth is a function of material

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 High intensity electromagnetic fields
Inductiv e S ens ors

cylindrical conductor

Distance/mm
12.5 25 50 100
I / kA B / mT
5 80 40 20 10
10 160 80 40 20
20 320 160 80 40
50 800 400 200 100
100 1600 800 400 200

Sensors with compensating winding and ferrite cores with a

high saturation flux can withstand magnetic fields up to 200 mT

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 NE/FE Switch

Advantages Target: Fe
Inductiv e S ens ors

Q
Target: Al
– reduction factor 1 in a
standard proximity switch
housing Pre-damping
Target

Inconvenients

– difficult to manufacture for

small housings

– expensive
Distance
NJ15+U1+2E2-NE/FE

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Electrical Values

Power Supply
Inductiv e S ens ors

☞ DC Sensors
– Voltage range: 10 VDC ... 30 VDC
10 VDC ... 60 VDC
5 VDC ... 60 VDC

☞ AC Sensors
– Voltage range: 98 VAC ... 253 VAC
– Frequency range: 48 Hz ... 62 Hz

☞ AC/DC Sensors
– Voltage range: 10 VDC . .. 30 VDC
24 VAC ... 240 VAC

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Important Characteristics
☞ Rated Operational Voltage
– Minimum and maximum value of the supply voltage
Inductiv e S ens ors

☞ Rated Operational Current

– Maximum load current for continuous operation
☞ Off-State Current
– Current that flows across the load when the prox. switch is
switched off
☞ No-Load Current
– Self current requirement of the proximity switch
☞ Short Time Current
– Current which can flows for a short period of time in the on
state, without damaging the proximity switch
☞ Voltage Drop
– Voltage which is measured across a two wire proximity switch
in the on state

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Short Circuit Protection
Inductiv e S ens ors

+
1
Most of the proximity switches 4
are protected with a pulsing 3
Load
protection method -

If the limiting current is exceeded,

the output will be blocked and
IK
released periodically
Iact

Ratio tp / tk approx. 1 / 100

tp
tk

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Types of Connection 1
Two-wire Sensors (Type Z)
Inductiv e S ens ors

"Positive logic"
NO (Z0) NO/NC (Z2) "Negative logic", NO
+ 24 VDC + 24 VDC - 24 VDC
BN/3 1 BU/4
2
3
4
BU/4 Load BN/3
Load Load

NC (Z1) NO/NC (Z2) "Negative Logic", NC

+ 24 VDC + 24 VDC - 24 VDC
BN/1 1 BU/2
2
3
4
BU/2 Load Load BN/1 Load

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Reverse Polarity
+ 24 VDC
BN/3
Inductiv e S ens ors

BU/4 Load

Protection Tolerant

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Standard EN 50227 (NAMUR) 1
mA
Short circuit
6.5
Inductiv e S ens ors

Inductive proximity switch type N

2.1
1.8
1.6

1.2

other proximity switches

0.15
Lead breakage
Distance
ON OFF

Schematic diagram
Switch Amplifier
1k 1k
10 k

8V

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 New NAMUR Switches
mA
Short circuit
6.5
Inductiv e S ens ors

N0 type (normally closed)

2.1
1.8
1.6

1.2

0.15
Lead breakage
Distance
ON OFF

☞ Rectangular curve
☞ Switching point will be given by the sensor
☞ N1 type (normally open) also available

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Standard EN 50227 (NAMUR) 2
Inductiv e S ens ors

☞ Valid for proximity switches and mechanical contacts

☞ Analogue or rectangular curve (N0/N1-type) is allowed
☞ Switching point between 1.2 ... 2.1 mA
☞ Hysteresis = 0.2 mA
☞ Lead breakage monitoring:
– current less than 50 µA ... 150 µA (typ. 100 µA)
☞ Lead Resistant < 50 Ω (at max. ambient temperature)
☞ Short circuit monitoring:
– Switch Amplifier load less than 100 Ω ... 360 Ω

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Types of Connection 2
Three-wire Sensors (Type E)
Inductiv e S ens ors

E2 E3 pnp-type
L+ (+24 VDC) L+ (+24 VDC)
BN/1 BN/1

BK/4 BK/2 Output

BU/3 BU/3 Load

Load Load

L- (Ground) L- (Ground)

npn-type
E/E0 E1
L+ (Ground) L+ (Ground)
BN/1 BN/1
Load
BK/4 Load BK/2 Load

L- (-24 VDC) L- (-24 VDC) Output

BU/3 BU/3

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PEPPERL+FUCHS
 Types of Connection 3
Four-wire Sensors (Type A)
Inductiv e S ens ors

A2 (pnp) A (npn)

1 1
L+ (+24 VDC) L+ (Ground)
2 2
4 Load 4 Load
3 3
L- (Ground) L- (-24 VDC)

☞ Advantage: Two types of output in one housing

☞ Disadvantage: Higher price

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