IFM IFT245 All-Metal Inductive Proximity Sensor

IFK3006-BPKG/AM/P/US

IFT245 belongs to IFM IT hygienic all-metal inductive sensor series. It is designed for food and pharmaceutical applications with cleaning requirements. Featuring an all-metal sensing face, it can withstand high-pressure spray cleaning.

✅ Key Specifications

📌 Model Code Definition (IFT Series)

IF: Inductive proximity sensor

T: Hygienic all-metal series, wash & high-temperature resistant, dedicated for food & beverage industry

245: M12, 6 mm non-flush, PNP NO, 70 mm length, M12 connector

🧩 Construction & Wiring

Connection: M12 4-pin male connector

Pin assignment:

1. Brown: +24V
2. Blue: 0V
3. Black: PNP NO output
4. Not used

🎯 Typical Applications

Food & beverage, pharmaceutical and dairy production lines; CIP/SIP online cleaning equipment; workstations with frequent thermal cycling and high-pressure spray; metal workpiece presence detection and limit positioning.

Advantages: All-metal sensing face. Unlike conventional sensors with plastic front caps, it resists cracking and material buildup which causes bacterial growth. It withstands alkaline/acidic detergent flushing and thermal shock.

⚠️ Installation Notes

1. Non-flush mounting: The sensor front end must NOT be embedded in metal. Sufficient clearance must be reserved for surrounding metal, otherwise the sensing distance will be reduced.
2. Recommended target: Mild steel. Sensing range decreases when detecting aluminium or copper, so installation margin should be reserved.
3. High-pressure cleaning: Direct spray from high-temperature high-pressure water gun is permitted, but avoid mechanical impact to the sensing face.

🔁 Alternative Model Reference

IFT244: Same dimension, PNP Normally Closed

IFT246: Same dimension, NPN Normally Open

IFT259: M12, 5 mm flush mount version

IGT247: M18, 5 mm flush mount, hygienic all-metal

🛠️ Common Troubleshooting

1. No output: Check supply polarity (reverse polarity protected, but long-term reverse connection is not recommended); corrosion inside M12 connector due to water ingress; target beyond effective working distance (≤4.9 mm).
2. False triggering: Strong nearby metal interference; temperature approaching 100 ℃ limit; cable routed in parallel with power cables causing EMI.
3. Intermittent signal: Loose connector, water ingress after high-pressure wash, material buildup on sensing face.

📎 Additional Information

No IO-Link, discrete on/off version only

Weight approx. 31 g

IFM IFT245 Typical Application Cases

Core advantages summary: M12 hygienic 316L stainless steel, IP69K, acid & alkali detergent resistant, thermal shock 0~100 ℃, sensing face pressure rating up to 100 bar, PNP NO, 6 mm non-flush. Specially designed for hygienic production lines requiring daily CIP/SIP and high-pressure washdown.

Case 1: Filling head position detection on dairy filling lines (Most common)

Working condition: Stainless steel filling valves on fresh milk/yogurt aseptic filling stations. Daily CIP hot alkaline cleaning and direct high-pressure water spray, repeated thermal cycling from ambient to 85 ℃, corrosive detergents.

Function: Detect position of metal piston on filling cylinder. PLC allows material discharge only after confirming filling head is lowered in place.

Selection reasons

1. IP69K rated for direct high-pressure washdown. All-metal front without plastic end cap prevents milk residue accumulation and bacterial growth, compliant with FDA / EC1935 food contact material requirements.
2. Tolerates repeated thermal shock; conventional plastic-face sensors tend to crack and leak under such conditions.
3. Compact M12 thread fits narrow space near filling valves; stable detection for stainless steel targets with 6 mm sensing range.

Note: Non-flush mounting required. Reserve clearance around adjacent metal to avoid sensing distance attenuation.

Case 2: Gripper position detection on PET bottle aseptic blow-fill-cap lines

Working condition: Aseptic cold filling line with daily disassembly cleaning, acidic disinfectant spray, high humidity, high-speed reciprocating movement of metal grippers.

Function: Confirm stainless steel bottle gripper fully clamped, preventing false filling of empty holders and bottle bursting.

Pain point solved: Plastic front caps of standard proximity switches corrode and blister under disinfectant spray. IFT245 one-piece all-metal construction resists disinfectant spray and delivers stable signal under vibration. 250 Hz switching frequency matches fast gripper motion.

Case 3: Cutting / conveyor limit for meat processing

Working condition: Ham & cooked meat production line, splashing brine, blood and grease. Daily high-pressure hot water + alkaline detergent wash, high humidity environment.

Function: Limit detection for stainless steel baffles and conveyor push blocks, verify pusher mechanism fully retracted.

Highlights: 316L stainless steel housing resists brine corrosion; sensing face withstands minor mechanical impact; gold-plated contacts in M12 connector reduce oxidation risk in humid environments.

Case 4: Position feedback of hopper doors for tablet presses / capsule fillers in solid dosage pharmaceutical

Working condition: GMP clean room, CIP cleaning, intermittent high-temperature steam purging. Clean area requires zero dead space for dust accumulation.

Function: Detect open/closed status of stainless steel hopper flip door. Interlock protection to prevent powder leakage once door locking is confirmed.

Features: Hygienic dead-space-free design; laser-etched nameplate will not peel off after repeated cleaning. Temperature range covers high cleaning temperature and meets GMP requirements for clean equipment.

Case 5: Tray presence detection for food retort / pasteurization lines

Working condition: Hot water pasteurization with cyclic temperature 0~95 ℃. Exterior of equipment undergoes daily high-pressure washdown, metal trays entering and exiting retort chamber.

Function: Confirm stainless steel tray in place before chamber door closes and sterilization cycle starts.

Fitment: Wide temperature range with thermal shock resistance. Sealing integrity maintained under splashing water and steam; sensing face rated for 100 bar pressure.

Case 6: Stainless tray counting / presence detection for baking oven conveyor

Working condition: Cooling section after oven, hot baking trays, grease and flour dust, daily hot water cleaning.

Function: Detect tray presence and counting on conveyor; interlock to prevent conveyor blockage.

Note: Sensing distance reduces when detecting aluminium trays, installation margin must be reserved (reduction factor Al=0.8).

Extended non-food hygienic applications (less common but feasible)

Position feedback for valve actuators on pharmaceutical purified water pipelines with periodic sodium hypochlorite flushing; limit sensing for agitator mechanisms on small hygienic emulsification tanks.

General Site Implementation Guidelines (Applicable to all cases)

1. Mounting: Non-flush installation, do not embed into metal. Mild steel target recommended; best performance on stainless steel.
2. Cable: M12 4-pin A-coded connector. Food-grade washdown resistant M12 cable recommended.
3. Protection: Avoid prolonged direct high-pressure jet hitting the thread and connector seam.
4. Anti-fault measures: Route sensor cables away from high-power solenoid valves and motors to avoid EMI false triggering.
5. Output: PNP NO, compatible with mainstream hygienic PLCs such as Siemens and Rockwell Automation.

Alternative Models within the Series

Normally closed version: IFT244

NPN normally open: IFT246

M12 flush mount 5 mm: IFT259

IFM IT Hygienic All-Metal Inductive Proximity Sensor List (IFT / IGT / IIT / IET, series of IFT245)

Series common features: 316L (1.4404) all-metal sensing face, IP69K, max pressure rating 100 bar, 0~100 ℃, FDA / EC1935 food approval, M12 4-pin A-coded connector, 3-wire DC 10~30VDC.

Naming rule: IFT=M12, IGT=M18, IIT=M30, IET=M8; qf=flush/semi-flush, nf=non-flush; NO=Normally Open, NC=Normally Closed

IFT (M12×1, same housing sub-series as IFT245)

IGT (M18×1 hygienic all-metal, same IT series)

IIT (M30×1.5 hygienic all-metal, same IT series)

IET (M8×1 compact hygienic all-metal, same IT series)

🔎 Quick Selection Reference (Based on IFT245)

Same M12, 6 mm non-flush, NPN → IFT246

Same M12, 6 mm non-flush, Normally Closed → IFT247

M12, 5 mm flush, short 45mm body for tight space → IFT259

Space limited, short housing 6 mm non-flush M12 → IFT260

Longer detection range, switch to M18 hygienic type → IGT247 (5 mm flush) / IGT250 (12 mm non-flush)

✅ General Series Notes

1. All sensors adopt all-metal sensing face, not PEEK plastic front used on standard sensors; designed exclusively for CIP/SIP cleaning applications.
2. Reduction factor: Steel=1, Stainless steel=1, Brass=0.9, Aluminium=0.8, Copper=0.6.
3. Mounting restriction: Non-flush (nf) models cannot be embedded in metal. Clearance must be reserved for surrounding metal or sensing distance will drop. Flush(qf) versions can be embedded in metal.
4. Uniform M12 A-coded 4-pin male connector for all; washdown food-grade cable recommended.
5. No IO-Link, pure discrete switching output. IO-Link capability available on other IFM all-metal series.

Important Distinction: IC Series (Do not confuse)

IxC series also has all-metal sensing face, but it is developed for machine tool cutting fluid environments. No food hygienic certifications, cannot replace IT food-grade sensors.