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IP Ratings and ECOLAB Basics

Guest contributor:  Jack Moermond, Balluffwashdownsensors

Integrating sensors in washdown applications can be confusing when considering the

various approvals.  So what do they all mean?  If a sensor is an IP69K rated sensor does that mean it will survive everything?  In the world of sensors there is IP54, IP67, IP68 and IP69 so if my sensor is IP69K that means it is the best right?  The short answer is no.  Let’s take a brief look at the differences.

IP ratings will generally have two digits with the first digit referring to the solid particle protection.  The second digit indicates the level of protection against the ingress of water.

Sensors rated for IP54 indicates they are dust protected, meaning that dust can get inside the sensor, however, it cannot be enough to interfere with the operation of the equipment –  this is designated by the 5.  The 4 indicates that the sensor withstands splashing water on the housing from any direction with no detrimental effect.  The test for the splashing of water lasts at least five minutes with a water volume of 2.64 gallons per minute with a pressure of 7.25 to 21.76 PSI.

IP67 rated sensors are the most commonly used sensors on the market.  Even most electrical enclosures used in automation are IP67 rated.  The 6 indicates these devices will not allow the entry of dust.  The 7 indicates that the sensor can be immersed in water to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.

IP68 rated sensors are dust tight sensors that can be immersed in water continuously under conditions specified by the manufacturer.  Typically the depth of the immersion is 3 meters.

The IP69K rating is based on a dust tight sensor that can withstand high pressure sprays.  The devices are sprayed with a pressure of 1,160 to 1,450 PSI.  The water temperature can be as high as 176°F with a flow rate of 3.7 to 4.2 gallons per minute.  The distance from the nozzle to the device is 4 to 6 inches.  The sensor is placed on a rotary table that rotates at 5 revolutions per minute and the sensor is sprayed for 30 seconds at four angles 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°.

The ultimate sensor would have a rating of IP67/IP68/IP69 indicating that it will survive submersion and high pressure washdown.  Also, some of these sensors are 316L stainless meaning they have low carbon content and are more corrosion resistant than other stainless steel grades.  Are all IP69K sensors stainless steel?  No, some sensors utilize polycarbonate-ABS thermoplastic.

Usually during washdown applications in the food and beverage industry the spray is not just water but some sort of cleaning chemical or disinfectant.  These aggressive cleaning and disinfecting agents can attack different housing materials.  This is addressed by the ECOLAB certification.

The ECOLAB test consists of testing the housing and sensor materials to exposure to these aggressive cleaning and disinfecting agents.  The devices are tested for 14 to 28 days at a room temperature of 68° F.  During this time the sensor is visually inspected for swelling, embrittlement, or changes in color.

Don’t forget that even though the sensor has the correct IP rating for your application that the mating connector has to meet the same specifications.  For example, if the sensor is IP69K rated and a IP67 mating cable is used then the lower IP rating has precedence.

If you are interested in what sensors and cables meet washdown requirements, please visit www.balluff.us.

Basic operating principle of an Inductive Proximity Sensor

Guest contributor: Henry Menke, Balluff

Did you ever wonder how an Inductive Proximity Sensor is able to detect the presence of a metallic target?  While the underlying electrical engineering is sophisticated, the basic principle of operation is not too hard to understand.

At the heart of an Inductive Proximity Sensor (“prox” “sensor” or “prox sensor” for short) is an electronic oscillator consisting of an inductive coil made of numerous turns of very fine copper wire, a capacitor for storing electrical charge, and an energy source to provide electrical excitation. The size of the inductive coil and the capacitor are matched to produce a self-sustaining sine wave oscillation at a fixed frequency.  The coil and the capacitor act like two electrical springs with a weight hung between them, constantly pushing electrons back and forth between each other.  Electrical energy is fed into the circuit to initiate and sustain the oscillation.  Without sustaining energy, the oscillation would collapse due to the small power losses from the electrical resistance of the thin copper wire in the coil and other parasitic losses.

 Inductive proximity sensor cutaway with annotation

The oscillation produces an electromagnetic field in front of the sensor, because the coil is located right behind the “face” of the sensor.  The technical name of the sensor face is “active surface”.

When a piece of conductive metal enters the zone defined by the boundaries of the electromagnetic field, some of the energy of oscillation is transferred into the metal of the target. This transferred energy appears as tiny circulating electrical currents called eddy currents.  This is why inductive proxes are sometimes called eddy current sensors.

The flowing eddy currents encounter electrical resistance as they try to circulate. This creates a small amount of power loss in the form of heat (just like a little electric heater). The power loss is not entirely replaced by the sensor’s internal energy source, so the amplitude (the level or intensity) of the sensor’s oscillation decreases.  Eventually, the oscillation diminishes to the point that another internal circuit called a Schmitt Trigger detects that the level has fallen below a pre-determined threshold.  This threshold is the level where the presence of a metal target is definitely confirmed.  Upon detection of the target by the Schmitt Trigger, the sensor’s output is switched on.

The short animation to the right shows the effect of a metal target on the sensor’s oscillating magnetic field.  When you see the cable coming out of the sensor turn red, it means that metal was detected and the sensor has been switched on.  When the target goes away, you can see that the oscillation returns to its maximum level and the sensor’s output is switched back off.

Want to learn more about the basic operating principles of Inductive Proximity Sensors? Here’s a short YouTube video covering the basics: