Best Controlling New Pressure Sensor With Display IFM PN2012 Accurate sensing for Industrial Equipment

IFM PN2012 Electronic Pressure Sensor with Display – High-Pressure Control for Modern Machines

The IFM PN2012 is a compact electronic pressure sensor with integrated display, engineered for demanding hydraulic and pneumatic systems where pressures up to 160 bar must be monitored with high accuracy and long-term stability. It combines a robust stainless-steel process connection, a ceramic-capacitive measuring cell, and flexible electrical outputs (switching, analogue, and IO-Link) in one cylindrical housing, making it an ideal “all-in-one” pressure solution for OEM machine builders and plant operators. 

Unlike simple mechanical gauges or basic pressure switches, the PN2012 offers precise digital measurement, a red/green numeric display, local configuration keys and advanced parameter options. This allows you to use the same device for visual indication, limit monitoring, closed-loop control and integration into Industry 4.0 systems via IO-Link.

Key Technical Data – IFM PN2012

High-pressure measurement for hydraulic and pneumatic systems

The PN2012 is tailored for applications where typical system pressures are in the tens or hundreds of bar, such as hydraulic power packs, clamping systems, injection moulding machines, presses and high-pressure pneumatic circuits. With a measuring range of 0…160 bar, it comfortably covers the operating range of many industrial hydraulics while still leaving headroom for transient peaks.

The sensor body is rated for 350 bar continuous pressure and up to 750 bar burst pressure, so it can survive extreme pressure surges that might occur during rapid valve switching or pump start-up. This generous mechanical margin significantly reduces the risk of sensor damage in harsh machines where pressure spikes are common. 

Accuracy is equally important. The PN2012 maintains switch point accuracy better than ±0.4 % of span, with repeatability below ±0.1 %. In practice this means reliable switching thresholds and stable process feedback even when the system is cycled thousands of times per day. A specified long-term stability of around ±0.05 % of span over six months helps to keep measurement drift under control, limiting the need for frequent recalibration. 

Measuring technology and mechanical robustness

Inside the housing, the PN2012 uses a ceramic-capacitive measuring cell with stainless-steel wetted parts and FKM seal. This combination offers several advantages over simple metal diaphragms:

• High overload resistance and excellent long-term stability.

• Good compatibility with hydraulic oils, coolants and many process fluids.

• Very low hysteresis, supporting precise and repeatable switching. 

The mechanical design is geared to long service life: the device is rated for up to 100 million pressure cycles, can withstand vibration up to 20 g and shock loads up to 50 g. The IP65/IP67 protection class (when used with a suitable M12 connector) allows installation in damp environments, on power packs or manifolds that are regularly exposed to oil mist, splashes or cleaning fluids. 

The process connection is a G 1/4 internal thread, a widely used standard in hydraulic and pneumatic manifolds. This makes it simple to retrofit the PN2012 into existing systems or integrate it into custom blocks and panels without exotic adapters. Recommended tightening torques and suitable sealing concepts are specified in the datasheet to help ensure leak-free, mechanically secure installation. 

Outputs, IO-Link and control integration

Electrically, the PN2012 is much more than a simple switch. It provides:

• Two digital switching outputs, each parameterisable as normally open or normally closed, with current ratings up to 250 mA and switching frequencies up to 500 Hz.

• One analogue output, configurable as 4…20 mA or 0…10 V, with both start and end points freely scalable within the measuring range (turn-down 1:5).

• IO-Link communication, using COM2 at 38.4 kBaud and a Smart Sensor profile, available on one of the outputs while still allowing standard SIO mode operation if IO-Link is not used.

This means that the same hardware can be used in different roles:

• As a pure switch, replacing a mechanical pressure switch but with far more precise setpoints.

• As a combined switch and analogue transmitter, feeding a PLC analogue input for closed-loop pressure control while also driving alarms or interlocks.

• As an IO-Link device, delivering digital process values, diagnostic bits and device status directly to a fieldbus or controller via an IO-Link master.

Using IO-Link, engineers gain access to cyclical process data (16-bit pressure value, device status and switching information) and acyclical device parameters. These include unit selection, output configuration, damping filters and diagnostic counters. This makes it straightforward to implement centralised parameter management and automated configuration download when a sensor is replaced. 

User interface, configuration and dynamic behaviour

On the front of the PN2012, a 4-digit alphanumeric display shows the current pressure value in bar, psi or MPa. Additional green LEDs indicate which unit is currently active, while yellow LEDs show the status of the switching outputs. The display can change between red and green, giving clear visual feedback when the process is within or outside the acceptable range. 

Three pushbuttons on the housing provide local access to all key parameters, including:

• Switch and reset points (setpoint and hysteresis or window mode).

• Switching behaviour (NO/NC).

• Output type (current or voltage for the analogue output).

• Time delays and damping of both process value and analogue signal.

• Display unit and orientation. 

The housing head can be rotated by roughly 345°, allowing the display and buttons to be oriented toward the operator even if the process connection forces the sensor into an awkward position. This is especially useful in dense manifolds or inside machine frames. 

Dynamic performance is another strength: the basic response time is below 1.5 ms, and the analogue output can react within around 3 ms. Optional software damping (up to 4 s) can be applied if the signal is too noisy due to pump ripple or fast transients. This combination lets you choose between very fast response for protective interlocks or smoother values for control loops and data logging. 

Typical application scenarios

Because of its pressure range, robustness and flexible outputs, the PN2012 fits naturally into a wide range of machines and systems, for example:

• Hydraulic power units – supervising pump pressure, setting alarm thresholds, switching motors or valves and providing an analogue signal for load-dependent pump control.

• Presses and forming machines – monitoring clamping pressure, cylinder force and tool protection, with IO-Link feedback to central condition monitoring systems.

• Injection moulding and die-casting machines – controlling hydraulic circuits, intensifier stages and locking mechanisms where high pressure peaks occur.

• Machine tools and metalworking equipment – measuring coolant and lubrication pressures, ensuring correct supply to spindles and guides.

• High-pressure pneumatic systems – monitoring compressed air networks or booster circuits in industrial automation, packaging and handling systems.

In each of these applications, the PN2012 can combine local indication, limit switching and data communication in one device, simplifying design and reducing wiring compared with separate gauge, switch and transmitter.

Benefits for OEMs and plant operators

For machine builders, standardising on the PN2012 across different models simplifies engineering, documentation and spare-parts management. The same sensor type can handle a variety of roles simply by changing parameter sets, either locally via the keys or centrally via IO-Link.

Plant operators benefit from:

• Clear, at-a-glance indication at the machine.

• Reliable switching, even under shock, vibration and pressure spikes.

• Easy diagnostics and parameter backup through IO-Link.

• Long service life thanks to robust mechanical design and a high number of pressure cycles.

Conclusion

The IFM PN2012 pressure sensor with display is a versatile, high-pressure device combining measurement, switching, indication and digital communication in one compact housing. With a 0…160 bar measuring range, ceramic-capacitive cell, IO-Link interface and robust stainless-steel construction, it is well suited for hydraulic power packs, presses, injection moulding machines, machine tools and many other industrial systems that demand precise, reliable pressure monitoring over long service lives.