Sensors

Shop Arrow.com’s huge selection of Sensors from the top manufacturers in the industry including Honeywell, Omron, TDK, Vishay, Amphenol, TE Connectivity, STMicroelectronics, Analog Devices, and Texas Instruments. We have sensor components in stock and ready to ship for every application, including Hall Effect, accelerometers, gyroscopes, angular and linear position sensors, proximity, and force sensors. We also offer temperature, pressure, and humidity sensors for indoor and outdoor use, plus a wide variety of color, photoelectric, and ambient light sensors.

Sensors generally fall into one of the following four categories:

Pressure Sensor

A pressure sensor typically measures pressure of gas or liquids. They operate by generating an electronic signal as a result of pressure generated as a function of the force that is required to stop a fluid or gas from expanding. Pressure sensors are also often called pressure transducers, pressure transmitters, piezometers and pressure indicators, among other names. They are commonly used in control and monitoring applications.

Motion and Position Sensors

A motion and position sensor allows for the measurement of position, either in absolute terms (absolute position sensor), or in relative terms (relative or displacement sensor). Motion or position sensors can measure the linear position of a device (linear position sensor), angular position changes, as well as multi-axis position changes. Among the most popular in use in wearables and handheld IoT devices are accelerometer and gyroscope sensors.

Optical Sensors

Optical sensors convert a shining light, or a change in light, into an electronic signal that is readable by an instrument. These sensors, also called photoelectric sensors, are then able to determine the existence and positional presence of an object. Optical sensors are used in a wide variety of industrial automation applications as well as commercial products. Among the most popular are fiber optic sensors, proximity sensors, and safety light curtain sensors.

Thermal Sensors

Thermal sensors are devices that produce an electrical signal in response to temperature or a change in temperature. They are integral for industrial applications that require feedback to maintain an optimal temperature operating range. Any over-temperature readings can then result in the shutdown of the machine to extend life and maintain a safe work environment. The two main types of thermal sensors are temperature sensors and humidity sensors.