B-Line E57LBL18A2E Inductive Proximity Sensor

Yes. The B-Line E57 series E57LBL18A2E is a 2-wire AC sensor with an operating range of 20 to 250V, so it drops straight into a 120V or 240V AC circuit in series with the load. Output is normally closed, and switching is limited to 250 mA at 250V, so it is meant to drive a relay coil, contactor coil, or PLC AC input, not a motor or solenoid directly.

Normally closed. The E57LBL18A2E conducts with no target present and opens when metal enters the sensing field, so if your logic expects an NO device you will need to invert it in the program or use a relay contact to flip the state.

It is built for it. The E57LBL18A2E carries NEMA 4, 4X, 6, 6P, 12 and 13 plus IP67 and IP69K, and IP69K is the high-pressure, high-temperature washdown rating food and beverage lines are specified to. The barrel is 303 stainless steel, which is what keeps the 4X corrosion rating honest in a caustic wash environment.

It needs clearance. The E57LBL18A2E is an unshielded sensor, so surrounding metal in the mounting plate will load the field and cause false detection. Mount it non-flush, standing proud of the bracket, with the metal-free zone the installation instructions call for. If your design requires the face level with the steel, you need a shielded (flush-mountable) version instead.

Operating temperature runs -13 to 158 F (-25 to 70 C), so unheated warehouses, outdoor conveyor lines and cooler rooms are fine. A blast freezer at -20 F or lower is outside the range, and so is anything near an oven exit or a hot-fill line above 158 F.

With a 2-wire AC device the sensor draws its operating current through the load, so leakage in the off state can hold a sensitive input or a small relay partly energized. The E57LBL18A2E tops out at 250 mA AC, so pair it with a coil or AC input rated inside that ceiling and check that the load's minimum holding current is satisfied. Where that is a problem, a 3-wire DC sensor is the cleaner choice.

There is a 360 degree viewable LED on the sensor, so you can read target status from any angle once the barrel is locked into the bracket, without having to rotate it to find an indicator window. Repeatability is within 3 percent of sensing range, which is what lets you set a tight trip point on an indexing or position-confirm application.

Order by manufacturer part number E57LBL18A2E, from the B-Line E57 series of inductive proximity sensors. That single MPN covers the configuration described here: 18 mm stainless barrel, unshielded, 2-wire AC normally closed, with the PVC cable attached.