DX-15 / DX-30 Ultra-thin Photoelectric Switch
When the mounting gap is the real constraint: a flat-pack through-beam sensor pair that slides into rail channels and panel gaps, sees 1 mm objects, and answers in 0.5 ms.
- Through-beam (opposed mode) — emitter + receiver supplied as a matched pair
- 150 mm (DX-15) / 300 mm (DX-30); extended models to 500 and 1000 mm
- Detects 1 mm opaque objects; 0.5 ms max response
- Front-sensing or 90° side-sensing optics
- IEC IP67, 12–24 VDC, 10 mA max; NPN, plus PNP and switchable NO/NC on DX-50/100
Product Overview
The DX-15 / DX-30 series exists for one reason: most photoelectric switches are chosen by range and output, but on crowded machines the deciding spec is often how little space the sensor body needs. The DX family packs a built-in amplifier into an ultra-thin housing — 20 × 10 × 5 mm for front-sensing units and 20.5 × 10 × 5.1 mm for side-sensing units — that mounts inside guide-rail channels, between adjacent panels and in depth-limited mechanism bays.
Every model in the series is a through-beam (opposed-mode) sensor: it ships as a matched pair, a 2-wire emitter facing a 4-wire receiver. That is why detection stays reliable on shiny, dark, transparent-edged and irregular targets — the receiver only has to notice that the beam has been interrupted, not judge how much light bounced back.
Despite the thin profile, the sensing numbers are sharp: 1 mm minimum detectable opaque object, 0.5 ms max response and a 680 nm infrared LED light source. Choose front-sensing models when the optical axis should face out of the housing front, or side-sensing (E) models whose axis turns 90° so the flat of the body lies along the rail. Base-family output is NPN with A = Light-ON or B = Dark-ON logic ordered as separate part numbers.
The newer DX-50L / DX-100L / DX-50F / DX-100F models extend the range to 500 mm and 1000 mm and remove two ordering headaches: they are available in NPN or PNP, and the same part number covers both logic states — shorting the receiver's white wire to 0 V flips the output from normally-open to normally-closed.
The whole family runs on 12–24 VDC at 10 mA max, carries short-circuit protection on the output, and is sealed to IEC IP67 — unusual for this housing class, and the reason it survives oil mist and coolant splash inside machine tools.
Front-Sensing vs 90° Side-Sensing
Example order codes: DX-30EBN = 300 mm through-beam pair, side-sensing housing, Dark-ON, NPN. DX-100F (P) = 1000 mm through-beam pair, front-sensing, PNP, NO/NC switchable.
Model Selection Tables
1. Base family — DX-15 / DX-30 (through-beam, NPN)
| Sensing method | Optics | Sensing distance | Operation mode (NPN) | Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Through-beam | Front-sensing | 150 mm | Light-ON (normally open) | DX-15AN |
| Dark-ON (normally closed) | DX-15BN | |||
| 300 mm | Light-ON (normally open) | DX-30AN | ||
| Dark-ON (normally closed) | DX-30BN | |||
| Side-sensing (E) | 150 mm | Light-ON (normally open) | DX-15EAN | |
| Dark-ON (normally closed) | DX-15EBN | |||
| 300 mm | Light-ON (normally open) | DX-30EAN | ||
| Dark-ON (normally closed) | DX-30EBN |
Each model number covers a complete emitter + receiver pair. On this family the output logic is fixed by the part number (A or B) and the output type is NPN only.
2. Extended family — DX-50 / DX-100 (through-beam, NPN or PNP, NO/NC switchable)
| Detection direction | Sensing distance | Model | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side (lateral) | 500 mm | DX-50L (N/P) | NPN (N) or PNP (P); normally open / normally closed switchable on the same model |
| Side (lateral) | 1000 mm | DX-100L (N/P) | |
| Front | 500 mm | DX-50F (N/P) | |
| Front | 1000 mm | DX-100F (N/P) |
L = lateral (side-sensing), F = front-sensing, (N/P) = NPN or PNP. To switch the black output from normally open to normally closed, short the receiver's white wire to the blue (0 V) wire.
Technical Specifications
| Series | DX-15 / DX-30 (base) · DX-50L / DX-100L / DX-50F / DX-100F (extended) |
|---|---|
| Sensing method | Through-beam (opposed mode); supplied as an emitter + receiver pair |
| Housing | Ultra-thin, amplifier built in; front-sensing or 90° side-sensing optics |
| Sensing distance | DX-15: 150 mm · DX-30: 300 mm · DX-50L / DX-50F: 500 mm · DX-100L / DX-100F: 1000 mm |
| Minimum detectable object | 1 mm opaque object |
| Response time | 0.5 ms max |
| Light source | Infrared LED, 680 nm |
| Output | Base family: NPN, A = Light-ON (NO) or B = Dark-ON (NC) by part number. Extended family: NPN (N) or PNP (P), NO/NC switchable via the white wire |
| Protection circuit | Short-circuit protection |
| Supply voltage | 12 – 24 VDC, ripple (P-P) ±10% max |
| Current consumption | 10 mA max |
| Enclosure rating | IEC IP67 |
| Dimensions | Front-sensing: 20 × 10 × 5 mm · Side-sensing: 20.5 × 10 × 5.1 mm · Φ2 mounting holes |
| Cable | Emitter 2-core · Receiver 4-core |
| Operating temperature / housing material / cable length | Contact factory |
General-purpose sensing component; not an IEC 61496 certified safety device. Never use it alone for personnel protection.
Wiring & Cable Cores
The emitter carries a 2-core cable and the receiver a 4-core cable. The fourth core — the white wire — is the NO/NC switching line on the extended DX-50 / DX-100 models.
| Unit | Core colour | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Emitter (2-wire) | Brown | 12 – 24 VDC (+) |
| Blue | 0 V (−) | |
| Receiver (4-wire) | Brown | 12 – 24 VDC (+) |
| Black | Control output (to load) | |
| Blue | 0 V (−) | |
| White | NO/NC switching line — leave open for normally open; short it to the blue (0 V) core and the black output becomes normally closed |
Observe supply polarity and keep the load within the rated output capability; the output stage includes short-circuit protection. Confirm the exact output type (NPN or PNP) on your order before wiring into a PLC input card.
Typical Applications
Narrow-Slot Retrofits
The ultra-thin 5 mm-class body drops into guide-rail gaps and between packed panels where standard housings simply do not fit.
Electronics & Semiconductor Stations
1 mm minimum opaque target catches pins, leads and thin substrate edges inside compact feeders and handlers.
High-Speed Sorting & Labeling
0.5 ms max response keeps count integrity on fast-cycle pass detection of thin sheet products.
Coolant / Oil-Mist Stations
IEC IP67 sealing tolerates oil mist, splash and temporary immersion at machining and washdown-adjacent stations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How thin is the DX-15/30, and when do I actually need an ultra-thin sensor?
Front-sensing units measure 20 x 10 x 5 mm and side-sensing units 20.5 x 10 x 5.1 mm, with Φ2 mounting holes. You need that size when the mounting gap, not the sensing task, is the constraint: guide-rail channels, gaps between adjacent panels, and depth-limited mechanism bays where a standard rectangular photoelectric body cannot physically enter.
Is the DX series through-beam, diffuse-reflective or retro-reflective?
It is through-beam (opposed mode, also printed as the 'transmissive' type in the factory catalog). Every model ships as a matched pair: a 2-wire emitter and a 4-wire receiver mounted facing each other, with the amplifier built into the housing. There is no reflector and no diffuse-reflection mode in this series.
What ranges and models are available in the family?
The base family covers 150 mm (DX-15) and 300 mm (DX-30) in both front-sensing and side-sensing (E) optics, NPN only, with Light-ON and Dark-ON as separate part numbers. The extended family adds four models with switchable NO/NC output in NPN or PNP: DX-50L and DX-100L (side-sensing, 500 mm and 1000 mm) and DX-50F and DX-100F (front-sensing, 500 mm and 1000 mm).
What do the E, L and F letters mean?
On the base family, E marks the side-sensing (right-angle) housing: the optical axis exits at 90 degrees to the body, so the sensor lies flat along a rail or panel while looking sideways; models without E are front-sensing. On the extended family the same idea is spelled out: L = lateral (side-sensing) and F = front-sensing, with (N/P) meaning NPN or PNP output.
How do the A and B suffixes differ, and how do I switch NO/NC on the new models?
On the base family A = Light-ON (output on when light is received — normally-open behaviour) and B = Dark-ON (output on when the beam is blocked — normally-closed behaviour), and you order the logic you need as a separate part number; all base models are NPN. On the DX-50L/100L/50F/100F models you do not change part number: short the white wire on the receiver to the blue (0 V) wire and the black output switches from normally-open to normally-closed.
How do I wire the emitter and the receiver?
The emitter cable has 2 cores: brown to 12-24 VDC and blue to 0 V. The receiver cable has 4 cores: brown to 12-24 VDC, black as the control output, blue to 0 V, and white as the NO/NC switching line. Leave the white core open for normally-open operation, or short it to blue (0 V) for normally-closed. The output stage carries short-circuit protection.
Can I get PNP output?
Yes, on the extended models. DX-50L, DX-100L, DX-50F and DX-100F are ordered as (N) for NPN or (P) for PNP. The base DX-15 and DX-30 models are NPN only, so state PNP explicitly on your enquiry if your PLC input card is sinking-type.
How small an object can it detect, and how fast?
The published minimum detectable object is a 1 mm opaque object, with a 0.5 ms max response time — an order of magnitude finer and faster than typical general-purpose photoelectric switches, which is exactly what thin-edge and small-part detection on fast lines needs.
Is the DX series waterproof, and what does it draw?
It carries an IEC IP67 rating: dust-tight and protected against temporary immersion, which covers oil mist, coolant splash and wet in-machine stations. Supply is 12-24 VDC with ripple (P-P) ±10% max, and current consumption is 10 mA max. Operating temperature range, housing material and cable length are not published on this page — confirm with the factory for extreme environments.
Can the DX-15/30 be used for operator guarding?
No. It is a general-purpose sensing component, not an IEC 61496 certified safety device, and must not be used alone for personnel protection. For guarding use a certified safety light curtain such as the DQC series.
What about MOQ, lead time and OEM terms for export buyers?
Trial orders in small quantities are normally accepted, and we quote MOQ, lead time and packing per model at enquiry. As a factory in Foshan we support OEM projects — send your model list (e.g. DX-15AN x qty, DX-30EBN x qty, DX-100F (P) x qty) and destination for a same-week quotation.
Specs reviewed by Engineer Cai, Senior Application Engineer. See certificates.