Sensors, Control & Data
Bare sensing elements and transducer components - pressure, temperature, proximity, photoelectric, position and current sensors.
A sensor is the component; an instrument is the finished device. This category holds the bare sensing element and the transducer that outputs a raw signal, for buyers who are building the rest of the measurement themselves - an OEM panel, a machine control, a test rig or an assembly of their own design.
That distinction is the whole reason the category exists separately from the measurement pages. A pressure element packaged with a display, a housing and a standard process connection belongs to Pressure Measurement, while the same element on a flying lead belongs here. Drawing the line clearly keeps the catalogue navigable and stops two pages competing for the same enquiry.
Because the buyer is usually an engineer fitting a sensor into something else, the deciding parameters tend to be mechanical and electrical rather than presentational: thread or stroke, body material, connector type, supply voltage, and the interface the controller expects. A sensor that measures perfectly but does not fit the envelope is not a candidate.
| Product type | How it senses | Usually specified for |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure sensor | Strain-gauge or piezoresistive bridge deformed by applied pressure, giving an uncompensated or partially compensated output | OEM assemblies and panel builds where the signal is conditioned elsewhere, so the raw element is bought rather than a finished transmitter |
| Temperature sensor | Resistance change in a platinum element, or a thermoelectric voltage at a junction | Embedding in a probe, a bearing housing or a manifold, where the element and its tolerance matter more than a display |
| Proximity sensor | Change in an oscillating field, in capacitance, or in returned light caused by an approaching target | End-of-travel detection, counting and presence sensing where contact would wear the mechanism |
| Photoelectric sensor | Interrupted or reflected light beam, in through-beam, retro-reflective or diffuse arrangement | Part detection, edge and label sensing, and any duty where the target is small, fast-moving or non-metallic |
| Position sensor | Potentiometric, inductive, magnetic or encoder principle along a stroke | Feedback on a cylinder, damper or actuator, where stroke and required resolution set the choice |
| Force sensor and load cell | Strain gauges bonded to a body that deforms under load | Weighing, tension control, web handling and press force, where the load has to enter the body along a defined axis |
| Current sensor | Hall-effect element in the field around a conductor, or a current transformer wound around it | Motor load indication, current monitoring and retrofit measurement where the circuit cannot be opened |
| Vibration sensor | Accelerometer or velocity output from a seismic mass | Rotating machinery monitoring, where mounting position and frequency span matter as much as the sensing element |
Flow, level, humidity, gas, torque, displacement, speed and voltage sensors are listed under this category as well; the table above covers the families that account for most enquiries.
There is rarely a single correct instrument for a duty, but there is always a shortlist that can be justified and a set of answers that eliminates the rest. These are the questions that decide it.
| Technology | Best suited to | Limits | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strain-gauge bridge | Pressure and force where a stable, well-understood output is wanted and the signal can be amplified locally | Needs amplification and temperature compensation, and the zero point shifts with mounting stress unless it is relieved | Pressure and load measurement |
| Piezoresistive element | Compact pressure sensing in volume OEM builds | Temperature sensitive, and the media has to be isolated by a diaphragm or a filled system | Pressure sensing |
| Inductive proximity | Metal targets in dirty, wet or high-vibration environments at high switching rates | Detects metals only, and the usable distance depends on the target material and size | Position and end-of-travel detection |
| Capacitive proximity | Non-metallic targets, and level detection through a wall | Affected by humidity, build-up and the dielectric constant of whatever is in front of it | Presence and level detection |
| Photoelectric | Small, fast-moving or non-metallic targets, and precise edge detection | Needs a clear optical path; dust, fog and reflective surfaces disturb it, and the lens needs cleaning | Part detection and counting |
| LVDT, magnetic and encoder | Continuous position over a defined stroke with a known resolution | Mechanical linkage and alignment decide the result, and the stroke range is finite rather than open-ended | Position feedback |
What is left after the technology is chosen is a list of values that only the installation can supply. These are the ones that change the model, the price or the lead time:
Specifications vary by model and application, so no performance figure is stated on this page. Where a parameter has not been documented for a particular model, the product page says so rather than filling the gap with a plausible number. Send the values above and we will return the ones the selected model actually holds.
Frequently asked
The questions that come up before an order rather than after it. If yours is not here, send it with the requirement and we will answer it in the quotation.
The dividing line is the finished device. A pressure element that outputs a millivolt signal on a lead is a component; the same element in a housing with a display and a current-loop output is an instrument. Both are legitimate purchases, but they sit in different parts of the catalogue, and for a component the deciding parameters are mechanical and electrical rather than display features.
Usually, because the mechanical interface is what a component is actually bought against. Send the drawing or the key dimensions - thread, body length, stroke or sensing distance - together with the electrical interface and the environment. Where a standard item already fits it is normally quoted as such, and where it does not, the lead time moves from stock to made to order.
It describes the enclosure against dust and water, not the sensor against the medium. A sensor rated for washdown can still fail if the diaphragm or the cable entry is not sealed for the same condition, and a connector left facing upwards collects water regardless of the rating. State both the environment around the sensor and the medium it contacts.
Inductive types detect metals, and the stated sensing distance applies to a defined reference material, so a different metal changes the distance you can rely on. Capacitive types respond to dielectrics, detect non-metals, and are sensitive to humidity and to build-up on the face. For a small or non-metallic target, a photoelectric device is often the practical answer.
By the rated capacity, the direction in which the load enters, the mounting arrangement and the accuracy needed at the working point. The capacity has to exceed the maximum load including any shock, and the mounting matters because the force has to be applied along the intended axis. State the load range and how the cell will be fixed.
Where the supplier issues one for that model, yes, and it should be requested at the enquiry stage rather than after the order, because it changes both price and lead time. Say which certificates are needed - material, dimensional, or a calibration traceable to a reference - and whether the end customer specification names them.
Available now
LJ12A3 · Proximity Sensors
M12 inductive proximity switches for non-contact metal detection, in shielded 2 mm and unshielded 4 mm versions with NPN, PNP, two-wire DC and two-wire AC outputs.
PG6 · Photoelectric Sensors
Photoelectric sensors with background suppression, in diffuse, through-beam and retro-reflective forms, sensing from 100 mm to 15 m with a 1 ms response and IP67 sealing.
TFD-801 · Pressure Sensors
Diffusion silicon pressure transmitters with a 304 stainless steel body, IP65 sealing and ranges from -100 kPa to 100 MPa, in two-wire 4-20 mA and three-wire voltage forms.
Send the specification and we will confirm the matching instrument, availability and lead time. Minimum order quantity is 1 pc.
Request for quotation
Send the technical detail and we will confirm availability, lead time and terms. In-stock items ship within 48 hours; customized specifications typically take 2-10 days. Minimum order quantity is 1 pc.