48 Photoelectric Sensor Manufacturers in 2023
This section provides an overview for photoelectric sensors as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 48 photoelectric sensor manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked photoelectric sensor companies as of June, 2023: 1.Pearse Bertram+ Streamline Contract Manufacturing, 2.PLC Hardware, 3.Onexia, Inc..
Table of Contents
What Is a Photoelectric Sensor?
A Photoelectric Sensor is a sensor that detects light.
The sensors use the properties of light to detect the surface shape and condition of the object being measured, as well as its constituent materials.
They are suitable for pre-shipment inspection and nondestructive testing equipment because they can detect surface shape and constituent substances without contact.
They are characterized by their ability to measure long distances, short response time, and high resolution. Detection methods include transmissive, retro-reflective, and diffuse-reflective types.
Uses of Photoelectric Sensors
Photoelectric sensors are used in a wide range of applications from consumer products to industrial equipment. Examples of applications are as follows:
- Inspection in production plants for food, consumer products, etc.
- Automatic doors and ticket gates of buildings and condominiums
- Distance measurement sensors for mobile transportation equipment such as trains and automobiles
- Laboratory equipment such as thickness measuring instruments and non-destructive testing equipment
Principle of Photoelectric Sensors
Photoelectric sensors consist of a projector with a built-in light emitting element, a receiver with a built-in light receiving element, an amplifier or other amplifying device, and an output terminal.
They can be classified into transmission, retro-reflection, and diffuse-reflection types according to the measurement method.
1. Transmission Type
In the transmission type, a measurement target is placed between the projector and receiver, and light emitted from the projector is intercepted by the measurement target to detect the target. As long as the object is opaque, measurement is possible regardless of its color or constituent substances.
2. Retro-Reflection Type
In the retro-reflection type, a projector and a receiver are combined into a single unit, and the object to be measured is placed between the projector and the receiver and a reflector. The reflector can be installed in a narrow space, allowing measurement in a limited space.
3. Diffuse-Reflection Type
The diffuse reflection type detects light emitted from the transmitter and receiver by reflecting it back at the object to be measured. It is characterized by its ability to distinguish colors.
Other Information on Photoelectric Sensors
1. Difference Between Photoelectric and Laser Sensors
Photoelectric and Laser Sensors are divided by the type of light source used. Photoelectric sensors generally use LED light sources, while laser sensors use laser light.
Laser light is more directional than LED light, and the diffusion of light emitted from the projector is smaller. Therefore, even small objects can be detected. Also, the light can be projected over long distances without attenuation due to its high energy.
When LED light is emitted from a floodlight, it cannot detect small objects due to diffusion and wrap-around effects. It is also not suitable for detection over long distances because its energy is not high. Also, if neighboring photoelectric sensors are installed nearby, false detection may occur due to diffuse light.
Photoelectric sensors are therefore used when less accuracy is required and are less expensive. Laser sensors are used for applications that require high accuracy, such as long-distance detection and small object detection, and are relatively expensive.
2. How to Use Photoelectric Sensors
Photoelectric sensors are used in many facilities because they are inexpensive and easy to handle, but if used incorrectly, they can cause problems.
One of the most common problems with photoelectric sensors is mutual interference between adjacent sensors. Mutual interference occurs when light emitted from the light emitter of one sensor enters the light receiver of the other sensor.
The LED light source of a photoelectric sensor diffuses the light after irradiation, and the longer the projection distance, the greater the diffusion width.
To prevent mutual interference, it is effective to separate the installation distance, to install the light emitters and receivers alternately, and to install anti-interference filters or light shields. Generally, the recommended installation distance is 1.5 to 2 times the operating distance. If the installation distance needs to be closer, interference prevention filters should be considered. Anti-interference filters are sold by various manufacturers according to the sensors.
List of 48 Photoelectric Sensor Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
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Pearse Bertram+ Streamline Contract Manufacturing
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Pearse Betram+ was founded in 1947 in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Today Pearse Bertram+ is an end-to-end solutions provider for the manufacturing industry. Pearse Bertram+ is ISO 9001:2015 certified and also UL508A (industrial control panels), IPC 620 (wire harness assemblies), and IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, and IPC-7711 certified for soldering. Pearse Bertram+ operates in both contract manufacturing and engineering support. The manufacturing segment includes electrical, pneumatic, robotic, hydraulic, and process systems. Engineering support includes support for operation of robotics, machinery design and usage, industrial automation, value engineering, and auditing.
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Onexia, Inc.
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
ONExia Inc is based in Exton, Pennsylvania and is a robotics integrator, custom machine builder, and industrial distributor. ONExia specializing in manual process automation and assists manufacturers of all sizes increase throughput with cutting edge technology. ONExia works with customers to develop turnkey custom machines including 2D & 3D vision system integration, software design & development, and machine safety services. ONExia uses robotics to automate line packaging. ONExia also offers robot palletizers that are compatible with new or existing packaging lines.
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SensoPart Inc.
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
SensoPart, Inc. was founded in 1994 and headquartered in Germany with US operations based out of Bingham Farms, Michigan. The ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing company serves the automotive, robotics, plastics, solar, and other industries with photoelectric sensors and image processing products. The company’s products include optical sensors, vision sensors, ultrasonic sensors, inductive sensors, and accessories. Together they are used in manufacturing detection & inspection, product identification, a diverse array of measuring tasks, product positioning, and color detection.
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Diamond Technologies, Inc.
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Diamond Technologies was founded in 1997 and is based in Hudson, Massachusetts and is a custom designer and engineer for data collection automation, and industrial communications. Diamond Technologies’s automation solutions segment offers OEMs and other customers system configuration, component selection, verification of compatibility, review of power requirements, software development, and other services. Data collection includes integration of data collection equipmpent, maintained OEM delivery, pre-programmed barcode, RFID, or embedded data collection components, OEM labeling, and others.
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Rockwell Automation
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
Rockwell Automation, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Milwakee, WI. Rockwell Automation provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions around the world. Rockwell Automation operates through their intelligent devices, software & control, and lifecycle services segments with both hardware and software products and services. The Intelligent Devices segment offers drives, motion, safety, sensing, industrial components, and configured-to-order products. The Software & Control segment provides control and visualization software and hardware, information software, and network and security infrastructure solutions. The Lifecycle Services segment provides consulting, professional services and solutions, and connected and maintenance services through independent distributors.
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PLC Hardware
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
PLC Hardware (PLCH) was founded in 1993 and operates out of Owings Mills, Maryland. PLCH is an independent distributor of used and surplus industrial automation and networking equipment. PLCH offers a 1-year warranty on all products and ships globally. PLCH’s emphasis is on hardware and distributes hardware from such brands as Cisco, HP Networking, Rockwell Automation and Siemens. A few of the many categories of hardware include application networking products, cables, optical networking systems, routers, switches, rack servers, content delivery devices, as well as HVAC controllers, and safety integrated systems.
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Sterlco Sterling Authorized Dist. - M & M Control
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Sterling Sterlco was founded in 1916 and distributes under M&M Control Service, Inc. is a specialist in industrial control units. Industrial control units are in two basic varieties: steam control family and temperature control units. Steam Control units include steam traps, Y strainers, temperature control valves, hand radiator valves, boiler feed pumps, condensate pumps, and centrifugal pumps. Temperature control units include portable chillers, central chillers, and water and oil temperature control units. Additionally, Sterling also manufactures pump tanks.
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Light in Motion LLC
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Light in Motion LLC, founded in 2009, is a manufacturer of standard and custom hermetically sealed optoelectronics components, headquartered in Milpitas, California. Some of the optoelectronics components offered, which are used in sensing applications include light-emitting diodes, optical interrupters, switches, emitters, and detectors. They also provide assemblies and photosensors. The company serves the sensor industry and is RoHS-compliant. Light in Motion's Engineering Group, situated in California, collaborates with their factories in Asia, ensuring adherence to ISO 9001 standards throughout the entire product lifecycle.
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Fargo Controls, Inc.
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Fargo Controls, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Eatontown, New Jersey. The company is a distributor of proximity sensors and other industrial controls for both consumer and industrial customers. The company categorizes proximity sensors by four principles: inductive for detecting metallic objects, capacitive for detecting both metallic and non-metallic objects, photoelectric for detecting light, and magnetic for detecting the presence of permanent magnets. Other product offerings include counters, rate meters, timers, and controls.
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Twittlebit.com
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Twittlebit.com is located in Lexington, Kentucky. Twittlebit is a distributor of industrial equipment and components divided into 8 sub-stores including: sensors, HMI & PLC, visual & audio , panel components, and pneumatic & vacuum. The company offers next day delivery to Kentucky and neighboring states, and 2-to-3-day delivery to most other states of in-stock products. The company offers in-stock selection of many top brands such as Autonics, EEControls, Panasonic, and Cembre. The company can also in-source many hard to find products directly from Japan from companies such as IDEC, Canon, Omron, and Fuji Electric in 7-to-10-days.
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E-Motion, Inc.
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
E-Motion Inc. is a distributor for electric automation based in Eugene, Orgeon. The company is a distributor of many electric automation parts, with additional offerings in pneumatic, modular aluminum framing, and instrumentation products. The company’s two primary segments are electric actuators and pneumatic automation. The electric actuator segment includes rack and pinion linear actuators, rod type electric actuators, rodless actuators, actuator controls, and lift kits. The pneumatic automation segment includes standard air cylinders, rodless cylinders, guided cylinders, and rotary actuators.
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Hello Bom
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Hello BOM is an online electronic component storefront designed to bridge customers and suppliers. Customers supply Hello BOM with their bill of materials (BOM) and Hello BOM uses smart analysis via AI data matching to quickly find precise matches that customers need. This is accomplished via Hello BOM’s growing component stock and product information database to grow increasingly accurate and fast, while also simplifying the process of R&D and purchasing for customers. Products include semiconductors, resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors, connectors, transistors, and sensors.
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Metro Industrial Supply, Inc.
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
Metro Industrial Supply, Inc. is headquartered in Garfield, New Jersey. The company is a distributor of power transmission equipment factory & mill supply original European replacements parts, portable gas detection systems, proximity & photoelectric sensors. A few of the brands for which the company is a United States distributor include Balluff, Bosch, Garlock, Goodyear, Siemans, and ZKL. Many brands and products not listed online can be ordered by contacting the company directly by email or by phone call.
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AutomationDirect
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
AutomationDirect.com was founded in 1994 to provide solutions for the industrial automation market and has been growing its list of offerings ever since. AutomationDirects’ extensive catalog includes individual components such as cables, various controls, I/O devices, relays, gauges, fittings, and sensors to complete systems. Many parts and devices, especially PLC units are customizable. AutomationDirect.com also provides support via video instructions, online manuals, a learning library, an active community forum to further assist customers.
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United Electrical Distributors, UED
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
United Electrical Distributors (UED) was founded in 19855 and is headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. UED is a distributor and installer of electrical supplies. Categories of UED products include LED lighting, CADWELD welded electrical connection molds, EATON panelboards, and “starters, contractors, controls.” LED lighting includes indoor LED lighting and outdoor LED lighting. CADWELD welded electrical connection molds includes molds for electrical connects and busbars. Surge protection devices include protectors, surge breakers, and whole house designs.
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Optex-FA
Photoelectric sensor
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Keyence
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
KEYENCE was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, the United States. The company is a developer and manufacturer of industrial automation and inspection equipment for industries including automotive, semiconductor, electrotonic devices, pharmaceutical, and logistics. The company’s products consist of code readers, laser markers, machine vision systems, and measuring systems among others. The company’s medical technology unit creates mold cooling-water control for molding machines, needle tip measurement, and observation of micro components. The company offers technical guides, CAD data, and other information to assist customers online.
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Gimatic
Optical sensor
Company Overview
Gimatic Srl was founded in 1985 and headquartered in Roncadelle, Italy as a subsidiary of Barnes Group, based in Bristol, Connecticut. The company is an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer of equipment in the end-of-arm tooling market for manufacturing-based industries. The company’s product categories include automotive manufacturing, tooling & factory automation, food & beverage, home applications, and pharma & medical. Product categories for these segments include vacuums and vacuum pumps, suction cups, sensors, machines, and other components.
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Baumer
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
Baumer Electric AG was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in the city of Frauenfeld, Switzerland. The ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company provides sensor solutions for digitalization, packaging, railway, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. A sample of the company’s sensor product listings includes object detection, distance measurement, force sensors, accessories, and connectivity devices. The company offers product support for setup and installation, product functionality, and optimized product usage.
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Schneider Electric
Photo-electric sensor
Company Overview
Schneider Electric S.E. is headquartered in Rueil-Malmaison, France, and has been operating since 1836. Schneider Electric provides a number of products and services including electrical car charging, energy management software, surge protection devices, load banks, servers and HMIs, valve and valve actuators, feeder automation, grid automation, and SCADA software products, data center cooling and software, home automation and security, light switches, motion control and robotics, signaling units, solar and energy storage, RFID systems, as well as other hardware, services, and software.
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Red Lion
Photo electric sensor
Company Overview
Red Lion was founded in 1972 and headquartered in York, Pennsylvania as part of Spectris, PLC, headquartered in Egham, England. The company serves manufacturing, oil & gas, alternative energy, transportation, and water industries with products for their industrial automation and industrial networking needs. The company’s industrial automation division creates controllers, secure remote access platforms, panel meters, and process control devices. The industrial networking division offers ethernet devices, IIoT gateways and routers, and communication converters.
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ifm efector, inc.
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
ifm efector (ifm) is a subsidiary of ifm electronic, founded in Germany in 1969. ifm has developed, manufactured and marketed sensors and controls technology to industries that include assembly and robotics, automotive, material handling, metal forming, mobile equipment, plastics, and food and beverage. Ifm produces sensors, condition monitoring equipment, image processing, safety technology, industrial communication, IO-link, systems for mobile machines, displays, software, connection technology, voltage supplies, as well as other accessories.
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Pepperl+Fuchs Inc.
Light grid
Company Overview
Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc. was founded in Mannheim, Germany in 1945 developing the forerunner of the proximity switch. Pepperl+Fuchs continues to develop proximity sensors as well as other industrial sensors including ultrasonic sensors, rotary encoders, positioning systems, display and signal processing, vibration monitoring, industrial communication, and signal processing as well as related accessories and software. Explosive protection products include safety barriers, surge protection, wireless solutions, HMI systems, power supplies, electrical explosion protection equipment, level measurement, and related software.
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Balluff
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
Balluff was founded in 1921 and is headquartered in Neuhausen, near Stuttgart, Germany. Balluff is a manufacturer of sensor and automation solutions for customers globally. Balluff serves many industries including life sciences, semiconductors, metalworking, fluid power, and mobile equipment. Balluff’s product line consists of sensors and connectivity components, accessories, complete systems, and software. Balluff offers services to assist customers across the range of finding solutions, deploying solutions, training, as well as support.
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Mod-Tronic Instruments Limited
Photoelectric Sensors
Company Overview
MOD-TRONIC Instruments Limited was established in 1972 in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. MTis a distributor of industrial sensors, transducers, heaters, controls, and instrumentation, primarily made in the USA as well as Japan, Switzerland, and Germany. MT’s customers are primarily in the aerospace, building automation, manufacturing, medical, military, oil and gas, and water treatment industries but also serves individuals. MT offers an above industry standard 5-year warranty and technical support on every product sold.
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Panasonic Industry Europe
Optical bubble sensor
Company Overview
Panasonic Industry Europe is the European branch of Panasonic, a global manufacturer of electronics and houseware, originally founded in 1918. Panasonic Industry Europe manufactures in 4 categories: components, devices, energy & building, and automation devices & solutions. Components include relays, capacitors, resistors, sensors, switches, connectors, couplers. Devices include wireless connectivity, e-bike systems, motors, compressors, thermal solutions, GPS antennas, as well as electronic materials. Energy & building includes batteries, fuel cells, solar sells, power tools, and home IoT. Automation devices & solutions include sensors for factory automation, industrial motors, laser welding, and more.
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Azbil
Photoelectric sensor
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Delta Electronics
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
Delta Electronics was founded in 1971 in Taipei, Taiwan. Delta Electronics is a global provider of power and thermal management solutions, serving power electronics, automation, and infrastructure. Delta’s power electronics division sells components such as inductors, power and system components such as industrial power supplies and external adapters, fans and thermal management such as DC brushless fans and motors, and automotive electronics. Automation includes industrial automation and building automation subdivisions. Infrastructure includes ICT infrastructure, energy infrastructure & industrial solutions, and display & visualization. Delta Electronics also provides solutions for data center, telecom energy, and EV charging.
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Omega Engineering
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
OMEGA Engineering was originally begun in 1962 as a manufacturer of thermocouples and has grown to over 100,000 products for measurement and control of temperature, humidity, pressure, strain force, flow, level pH, and conductivity as well as customer service including data acquisition, electric heating, and custom-engineered products. Additionally, OMEGA offers tools to serve as reference for engineers around the world. OMEGA Engineering serves the aerospace, automotive, wireless, sanitary, test & measurement, process control, power monitoring, environmental, and laboratory markets.
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Datalogic
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
Datalogic was founded in 1972 along the outskirts of Bologna, Italy. The company is a manufacturer of scanning and optical devices for industries such as retail, manufacturing, transportation & logistics, and healthcare. The company’s product lines include fixed and handheld scanners for retail and industrial purposes, vehicle-mounted computers and handheld computers, laser marking systems, and other industrial scanners and data-sensing machines. The company offers aftercare services including ease of care service.
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OMRON Industrial Automation
Area sensor
Company Overview
OMRON Industrial Automation is the UK branch of OMRON, originally founded in Japan in 1933. OMRON Industrial Automation serves food and beverage industry, panel board design, automotive manufacturing industries among others. OMRON Industrial Automation products categories include automation systems such as industrial PCs and human machine interfaces (HMI), safety such as safety switches and safety logic control systems, switching components such as solid state relays, motion & drives such as motion controllers, sensing such as photoelectric sensors, software, robotics, quality control & inspection systems, as well as control components including power supplies and digital panel indicators.
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TURCK
Photoelectric sensor
Company Overview
Turck was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany. The company is a global manufacturer of automation machinery used in the automotive, energy, chemical, food, and packaging industries among others. The company’s products integrate the concept of Industry 4.0 technologies such as RFID, IO-link, and ethernet to assist factory and material handling equipment in communicating with other equipment and providing data for operators to improve efficiency and safety while decreasing waste. These products include sensors, industrial controls, industrial wireless and vision devices, and interface devices.
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LKH PRECICON PTE LTD
Photoelectric Sensors
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Photoelectric Sensor Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of June 2023 in United States of America
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pearse Bertram+ Streamline Contract Manufacturing | 11.9% |
| 2 | PLC Hardware | 10.2% |
| 3 | Onexia, Inc. | 6.8% |
| 4 | Light in Motion LLC | 6.8% |
| 5 | Airtec Global LLC | 5.1% |
| 6 | Sterlco Sterling Authorized Dist. - M & M Control | 5.1% |
| 7 | Fargo Controls, Inc. | 5.1% |
| 8 | SensoPart Inc. | 5.1% |
| 9 | Diamond Technologies, Inc. | 3.4% |
| 10 | E-Motion, Inc. | 3.4% |
| 11 | Twittlebit.com | 3.4% |
| 12 | beta SENSORIK | 1.7% |
| 13 | M.D. Micro Detectors | 1.7% |
| 14 | Delta Electronics | 1.7% |
| 15 | Pulsotronic | 1.7% |
| 16 | Fiessler Elektronik | 1.7% |
| 17 | Pantron | 1.7% |
| 18 | Baumer | 1.7% |
| 19 | Bircher Reglomat | 1.7% |
| 20 | CAPTRON | 1.7% |
| 21 | ERIKS North America | 1.7% |
| 22 | Eickmann Elektronik | 1.7% |
| 23 | United Electrical Distributors, UED | 1.7% |
| 24 | Rockwell Automation | 1.7% |
| 25 | Mod-Tronic Instruments Limited | 1.7% |
| 26 | Metro Industrial Supply, Inc. | 1.7% |
| 27 | AutomationDirect | 1.7% |
| 28 | Hello Bom | 1.7% |
| 29 | Advance Electrical & Automation | 1.7% |
| 30 | Schl?ter Automation und Sensorik | 1.7% |
| 31 | Gimatic | 1.7% |
Ranking as of June 2023 Globally
Derivation MethodDerivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the photoelectric sensor page as of June 2023. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Fuji Electric FA Components & Systems: 26,757
- Delta Electronics: 15,700
- TURCK: 4,650
Newly Established Company
- Panasonic Industry Europe: 1988 (35 years ago)
- Gimatic: 1985 (38 years ago)
- CAPTRON: 1983 (40 years ago)
Company with a History
- Schneider Electric: 1871 (152 years ago)
- Rockwell Automation: 1903 (120 years ago)
- Balluff: 1921 (102 years ago)
Lists of Photoelectric Sensor Products
998 products are listed.
IO-Link U-shaped photoelectric sensor OPU702
ifm effector Co., Ltd.This is a photoelectric sensor that can reliably detect parts as small as Ø30µm with accurate laser light. IO-Link U-shaped
IO-Link U-shaped photoelectric sensor OPU701
ifm effector Co., Ltd.This is a photoelectric sensor that can reliably detect parts as small as Ø30µm with accurate laser light. IO-Link U-shaped
IO-Link U-shaped photoelectric sensor OPU700
ifm effector Co., Ltd.This is a photoelectric sensor that can reliably detect parts as small as Ø30µm with accurate laser light. IO-Link U-shaped
