Select the perfect digital temperature sensor for your application requirements

Industrial machines often require a consistent temperature measurement to ensure production quality and understand machine condition. ifm developed a robust temperature sensor product line to fit the needs of a variety of industries. Using Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) technology and undergoing stringent environmental testing, ifm encases temperature sensors in hermetically sealed stainless steel designs to ensure top quality performance in the harshest of conditions. ifm’s reliable temperature sensing solutions offer compact housings, extremely fast response times, easy M12 electrical connections and 316 stainless steel construction.

Use the “Select by application” table below to narrow your search for a temperature sensor and read more about the underlying measuring principles and technology of a sensor group by finding the orange “Learn More” row. 

Construction technology

One-piece design

Typical RTD assemblies use a head chamber design. Many of ifm’s temperature instruments consist of a fully welded 316 stainless steel IP69K hermetically sealed construction. The fully calibrated and ready-to-install one-piece design solves all of the typical drift issues of head chamber systems.

Measurement technology

Thin film tip design

ifm uses a highly engineered construction method. The Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) element is first bonded to a thin film carrier. This reduces the thermal mass of the electrical leads. The film carrier and RTD element is then attached to a specialized assembly carrier. The carrier positions the RTD element into precisely the correct location and preloads the RTD with constant force against the probe’s inner sheath wall. This allows the RTD element direct and constant controlled contact to the sheath, minimizing the amount of thermal mass separating the RTD element from the process media. The result – fast and repeatable response!

Ordinary RTDs and temperature instruments have the sensing element potted into the tip of the sheath tube. The potting compound acts like an insulator, slowing the heat transfer to the RTD element. Typically, the RTD element location is not controlled, but simply lowered by its lead wires into the sheath and glued into place. Both of these factors lead to poor uniformity, repeatability and response time.

Metallic bonded tip

This ifm design uses a revolutionary process that metallically bonds the RTD element directly onto the copper-plated inner wall of the probe tip. This creates very low thermal mass with a direct metallic bond for optimal heat transfer. The metallic bond technology eliminates all polymer parts allowing the sensor to be used at higher temperatures. Additionally the tip construction offers response speeds twice as fast as our already fast thin film design.

Self verifying dual-element tip

The design of the TCC family of instruments includes two sensing elements that self-detect and send a warning if any signal drift is occurring. The PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) element increases its resistance with increasing temperature. The NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient) element decreases its resistance with increasing temperature. ifm uses a highly engineered construction thin film tip design and two RTD elements. Rather than identifying instrument drift during a normal calibration verification, the dual element construction signals drift as soon as it occurs. This improves machine reliability, but more importantly, does not allow suspect product out of your manufacturing plant.

Clamp-on or surface mount technology

Infared non-contact technology

Infrared temperature sensors, sometimes called pyrometers, detect the amount of infrared (IR) radiation emitted from the object. A lens focuses the infrared radiation onto a detector, which converts the energy into an electronic signal. This technology enables temperature measurement from a distance without requiring contact to the object.