W12-3 Series (WL12-3P2431) retro-reflective photoelectric sensor

The WL12-3P2431 belongs to the W12-3 family of miniature photoelectric sensors from SICK. The WL variant is a retro-reflective sensor, in which the sensor emits a light beam toward a reflector and detects when the beam is interrupted by an object. The housing is compact and rectangular, about 12 mm wide, and can be mounted with screws. The sensor has a PNP output with a light-on or dark-on switching mode, and a visible red light with a polarising filter reduces false switching on shiny objects. The sensing range is up to a few metres depending on the reflector, and an adjustment potentiometer allows tuning of sensitivity. It operates from 10 to 30 V DC and has an M8 connector or a cable. Applications include object detection on conveyors, packaging machines and handling systems.