Close range inductive switch ideal for contactless and robust applications

The LDC0851 from Texas Instruments, and now available from Farnell element14, is a close range inductive switch suitable for a wide range of contactless and robust applications, including event counting, industrial proximity switches, industrial keypads, personal electronics and more. The switch is triggered when a conductive object comes within close proximity of the sensing coil. Hysteresis is included to ensure a reliable switching threshold immune to mechanical vibration. The differential implementation prevents false triggering over environmental factors such as temperature variation or humidity effects. Inductive sensing technology provides reliable and accurate sensing even in the presence of dirt, oil, or moisture, making it ideal for use in harsh or dirty environments. The solid state switching eliminates the failures due to reed, mechanical, or contact switching. Unlike competitive products, the device does not require magnets, nor is it affected by DC magnetic fields.