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Proximity Sensor Range Calculator

Work out proximity sensor range instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Proximity Sensor Range Calculator

An inductive sensor's rated range applies to a standard mild steel target. Other metals reduce it substantially — stainless to about 70%, aluminium to 45%, copper to 40% — and a smaller target reduces it further. The assured operating distance is 81% of the effective range, and mounting at 70% gives working margin.

Formula

Sensing range

Sn effective = Sn rated x material factor x size factor; assured = 0.81 x effective

Worked example

With the default values below, Proximity Sensor Range Calculator returns Effective sensing range of 4.39. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Rated sensing range
8 mm
Target materialone of Mild steel (Fe360), Stainless steel, Brass, Aluminium, Copper
Stainless steel
Target size versus standard
0.8 x
Ambient temperature
45 °C

Results

Effective sensing range
4.39 mm
Material correction factor
0.700 x
Assured operating distance
3.56 mm
Recommended set distance
3.07 mm

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Sensing range
  3. 3Effective sensing range= 4.39 mm
  4. 4Material correction factor= 0.700 x
  5. 5Assured operating distance= 3.56 mm
  6. 6Recommended set distance= 3.07 mm

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do non-ferrous metals reduce range?

Inductive sensors work by inducing eddy currents. Materials with lower permeability absorb less energy from the field, so the target must be closer to be detected.

Where does 81% come from?

It is the standard assured operating distance: 90% of range for manufacturing tolerance and 90% again for temperature, giving 0.9 x 0.9 = 0.81.

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