Growth in photoelectrics drives proximity sensor market, study shows

Growth in demand for photoelectric and photointerrupter sensors will be the largest contributor to the overall growth in the North American proximity and photoelectric sensor market, a recent Venture Development Corp.

By Control Engineering Staff June 16, 2005

Growth in demand for photoelectric and photointerrupter sensors will be the largest contributor to the overall growth in the North American proximity and photoelectric sensor market, a recent Venture Development Corp . (VDC) survey reports. VDC forecasts a compound annual growth rate of 5.8% for the two sensor types through 2007, compared to an overall North American growth rate forecast of 4.7%. Currently, markets for photoelectric and photointerrupter sensors comprise 41% of the $617.2 million market, the largest share of the overall 2004 North American proximity and photoelectric sensor market.

The largest industry shares of the 2004 photoelectric sensor shipments were for use in material handling, packaging equipment, and electronics/semiconductor manufacturing equipment applications. Office automation equipment applications accounted for nearly half the shipments of the photointerrupter sensors.

Factors influencing the growth in demand for photointerrupter sensors, particularly in food and beverage, medical equipment, and office automation equipment markets, include requirements for non-contact detection, long life, high-reliability, high precision, high-speed response, and sub-miniature design. Photointerrupter sensors, also called photomicro sensors, were previously included in the photoelectric sensor segment of previous VDC studies. They were segmented out because of the sensors’ growing demand. Only a small number of vendors supply photointerrupter sensor to the North American market, but others are expected to enter as growth in optical proximity sensing continues.

For more on the study, click here .

—Jeanine Katzel, senior editor, Control Engineering, jkatzel@reedbusiness.com