The Condet proximity switch from Contrinex Inc. (contrinex.com), a company based in Givisiez, Switzerland, uses inductivesensing technology that lets the device have a stainless-steel sensing face, rather than plastic. This lets it use a one-piece steel housing that resists harsh liquids, dust, and even hot-metal shavings. The technology also lets the device detect metal objects relatively distant from the sensor face — three times the distance on steel and aluminum compared to conventional inductive proximity sensors. Cycle times are on the order of 100 to 200 sec. The device comes in sizes M8 through M30 and can be outfitted in a variety of popular configurations.