Capacitive Proximity Sensors
Detect metals, plastics, glass, liquids, grain and powders — including sensing through non-metallic tank walls.
Food and beverage production combines two demands that fight each other: hygienic design that survives aggressive daily cleaning, and reliable detection of products that are frequently transparent, wet, or irregularly shaped.
The wash-down problem
- Daily cleaning with hot water, caustic and sometimes high-pressure jets is far harder on a sensor than the production process itself. IP68 sealing is essential, and cable entries and connectors need as much attention as the housing.
- Stainless steel housings are preferred in direct food-contact zones. Chrome-plated brass is acceptable in secondary and packaging areas.
- Mount sensors so water drains away from the face rather than pooling on it, and avoid horizontal upward-facing installations wherever the layout allows.
Detecting difficult products
- Clear glass and PET bottles pass light straight through, defeating standard photoelectric sensing. Capacitive sensors handle these reliably, detecting the liquid content rather than the container.
- Level in non-metallic tanks is read through the wall with a capacitive sensor, leaving nothing wetted and no seal to fail a hygiene audit.
- Labels and registration marks at speed need a fork or laser fork sensor with a sharply defined trigger edge.
- Metal cans and caps are straightforward inductive targets and give the most robust detection of all.
Where our sensors are used
- Filling lines — bottle presence, fill-head position and cap detection.
- Capping and sealing — cap presence verification before sealing.
- Labelling — fork sensors for label gap and registration marks.
- Packing and cartoning — carton presence, flap position and case counting.
- Palletising — pallet and layer detection, plus safety light curtains at the load station.
- Utilities and CIP — valve position feedback and tank level.
Products for this industry
Photoelectric Sensors
Through-beam, retro-reflective, diffuse, fork and laser optical sensors for ranges from 30 mm to 30 m.
Inductive Proximity Sensors
Non-contact detection of metal targets from 1 mm to 50 mm, in M8 to M80 barrels and rectangular housings.
Safety Guards & Light Curtains
Infrared light curtains that stop power presses, shears and robotic cells the instant a beam is broken.
Frequently asked questions
How do I detect a clear PET bottle reliably?
A standard photoelectric sensor will struggle because light passes through the container. Use a capacitive sensor set to detect the liquid inside, or a specialised clear-object detection arrangement. Tell us the bottle format and line speed and we will recommend an approach.
Are your sensors suitable for direct food-contact zones?
For direct-contact zones we would specify stainless steel housings and advise on mounting for drainage. Tell us the zone classification, the cleaning chemicals used and the temperatures involved, and we will confirm what is appropriate — and say so if a standard product is not suitable.
Sensors for your food & beverage application
Send us your application — target material, sensing distance, supply voltage and housing constraint. We will recommend a part, quote it, and ship from Mumbai.