Here is something to consider when you get equipment from another country (in my case Japan). We have three new production lines of metal working machinery all automated with gantry loaders, transfer conveyors, robots etc. etc. (You know the type, two people doing the work of ten). Anyway...... all the associated equipment use Koyo Direct soft PLC's and (here it is) Koyo proximity detectors. Koyo part number APS8-12 GMD-Z is the most common one used ...... and you guessed it, I cant buy a replacement anywhere. So, I go to the Koyo website (Induction models | Proximity Sensors | Products | KOYO ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.) , find the part I need, and then I'm directed to AutomationDirect to purchase it. Nope, AutomationDirect says they don't have that part and can't help me. I questioned the referal from Koyo and was told that they dont handle all of Koyo's products (Koyo owns Automationdirect?). So I E-mailed Koyo about purchasing the part(fokuoka@koyoele.co.jp), no response. I E-mailed them again. No response again. I E-mailed Koyo's main office(tbeigyou@koyo.co.jp). No reply. So, after we use up the last spare prox that came with the machinery, we will be forced to replace them with those from another supplyer. And... another problem. The Koyo prox detects off axis, and the equipment manufacture used this capability in some of the design. So on go the thinking caps and out come the laptops...etc. etc. Just something to consider when you get equipment from another country.... that is unless someone out there knows where to get these "OEM" parts.

Not sure what you mean by detecting "off axis". Do you mean the prox detects things not directly in front of it? Or do you mean it detects objects beside the end of the prox.

I get the impression your describing a non-embedable prox.

I generally stick with Turk http://www.turck-usa.com/ for prox's. I have never seen another brand these guys did not have a direct replacement for.

Right, this prox see's to the sides of the tip. The detection distance is also greater than that of other prox's. It seems to be about 1.5 times the diameter of the face.

Turck has a line with similar properties. They brand it as a "U-prox". This should be a direct replacement for the Koyo brand. They have local reps all over the US who can help you out.