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How to Choose an Industrial Sensor

Choosing a sensor by target material, distance, environmental conditions (IP), output type and communication.

4 min readUpdated: 2026-07-06

Sensor selection starts with 'what needs to be detected?' Inductive for metal, capacitive for any material/liquid, optical or ultrasonic for long distance.

  • Material and distance — determine the sensing type
  • Environment (IP rating) — resistance to moisture, dust, washdown, oil
  • Output — PNP/NPN, NO/NC, analog (4-20 mA)
  • Smart features — IO-Link for diagnostics and easy replacement
For washdown food/packaging lines, prefer at least IP67/IP69K, stainless-body sensors.

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