Pepperl & Fuchs FAQ's
Pepperl & Fuchs are one of the leading suppliers of Proximity Sensors and Rotary Encoders. Here we have some of the questions that are most commonly asked about their Proximity Sensors. If you would like to ask another question, or require more information about our range of Proximity Sensors please call our Tech Support Team on 01254 685900.
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An embeddable inductive sensor is constructed with a strip of metal around the transducer which restricts the sensing field, allowing it to be generated only from the sensing face forwards. A non-embeddable sensor does not have this shielding, so the sensor will have a longer sensing range but will be sensitive to metal around the sides as well as the front face. Embeddable/non-embeddable is also sometimes referred to as shielded/non-shielded or flush /non-flush mountable.
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These are types of transistor used in the output stage of a sensor, NPN is a current sinking transistor and PNP is current sourcing. In practise, this determines where the relay or load to be switched is placed in the circuit. With an NPN sensor, the relay would be connected between the output and +ve supply and with a PNP sensor, the relay would be connected between the output and –ve supply.
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The standard cable length on most cylindrical sensors, unless otherwise specified will be 2m. Many of these sensors are available with longer cable lengths if required, usually 5m or 10m. With rectangular sensors, it is worth checking on the datasheets as miniature sensors designed for mounting inside enclosures (such as the V3 housing style) may have quite short cables.
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The nominal sensing range is a standard value for classification. It does not take into account process tolerances or changes due to the influence of voltage or temperature fluctuations. The guaranteed sensing range that is achievable with a sensor is stated on the datasheet as the ‘assured sensing range’.
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The assured sensing range is determined using an ideal target, which is mild steel. The composition of the target metal affects the sensing range: the more non-ferrous content, the closer the target needs to be.
