Barrier gate vehicle detection
A pair across the lane confirms the vehicle has passed before the boom lowers.
Photoelectric · Miniature snap-in
LMC12 Miniature Snap-In Photoelectric Sensor
A 12 mm snap-in through-beam pair for 5 m and 8 m spans — NPN or PNP, 5 ms, IP65, with a 3.4 mm cable for panel and door-edge mounting.
Model LMC12NO(NC)-5M / LMC12PO(NC)-5M · Brand LE Raun · Category: Photoelectric Sensors
Body12 mm snap-in
Range5 m / 8 m
Response≤5 ms
ProtectionIP65
Overview
A snap-in body with no bracket is the cheapest way to put a beam across a 5 m opening: the sensor pushes into a 12 mm hole in a panel or a door frame and is held by its own clips. There is nothing to align beyond the hole itself, which is why this format dominates barrier gates, door openers and appliance openings.The pair is supplied as an emitter and a receiver, with NPN or PNP output and NO or NC switching. The modulated 850 nm beam is immune to sunlight and to the fluorescent lamps found in parking structures, and the 3.4 mm cable is thin enough to run inside a door frame.
Application scenarios
Garage and industrial door openers
Detects an obstruction in the door path.
Automotive equipment
Detects a body panel in a transfer line.
Medical diagnostic instruments
Detects a sample rack or a door position inside an analyser.
Appliance and vending openings
Senses a product leaving a chute.
Industries
- Building automation
- Automotive
- Medical devices
- Appliances
Technical specifications
| Models | LMC12NO(NC)-5M · LMC12PO(NC)-5M · LMC12NO(NC)-8M · LMC12PO(NC)-8M |
|---|---|
| Sensing method | Through-beam |
| Sensing distance | 5 m / 8 m |
| Indicator | Red operation indicator |
| Ambient temperature | Operating 25 °C to 55 °C (ice-free) · storage −30 °C to 70 °C |
| Minimum detectable object | Opaque object ≥ φ12 mm |
| Response time / frequency | Max 5 ms |
| Light source | Modulated 850 nm IR LED |
| Operating voltage | 10–24 V DC ±10% |
| Protection level | IP65 |
| Cable specification | 3.4 ± 0.14 mm² |
| Product application | Barrier gate detection, garage door openers, automotive equipment, medical diagnostic instruments and other applications |
| Response time | ≤1 ms |
| Current consumption | ≤15 mA |
| Output | NPN or PNP transistor, NO and NC on the 4-wire version |
| Output current | ≤100 mA |
| Residual voltage | ≤1.5 V |
| Circuit protection | Short-circuit, reverse polarity, over-current |
| Ambient illumination | Incandescent ≤3,000 lux, sunlight ≤10,000 lux |
| Vibration / shock | 10–55 Hz 1.5 mm, 500 m/s² (X, Y, Z each 2 h) |
Dimensions
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Length | 15.8 mm (3.3 mm front step + 12.5 mm body) |
| Front face | Ø7.5 mm |
| Cable | Ø3.4 mm |
Snap-in mounting at 45°: the barrel is pushed through a Ø12.3 mm hole and the three spring tabs hold it — no nut, no bracket, no access behind the panel.
Wiring & output
| Lead | Colour |
|---|---|
| 2 | Blue |
| 3 | Black |
| 4 | White |
| — | Grey (5-wire types) |
How to specify
- 01
Choose the detection mode
Through-beam for the longest range and the most reliable operation in dust; retro-reflective for one-sided wiring over a few metres; diffuse for colour-independent presence at short range; background suppression where the conveyor or the machine frame sits behind the target.
- 02
Check the target and the background
A diffuse sensor sees the target, not the gap: a dark matt object halves the range. Background suppression types are set by distance, so the background must be at least 20 % further away than the target.
- 03
Match the light spot to the part
A 10 mm spot on a 2 mm wire gives a weak, unstable signal; choose a lens with a small spot at the working distance, or switch to a laser type.
- 04
Decide the output and the housing
NPN for Asian PLC inputs, PNP for European; 4-wire when the PLC needs both states. Square plastic for general use, stainless for washdown, fibre-optic where the space is too tight.
Why this series
Snap-in mounting
Pushes into a 12 mm hole — no bracket, no screws, no alignment.
Modulated infrared beam
Immune to sunlight and to the lighting in parking structures.
5 m and 8 m versions
One pair spans a barrier gate lane or a garage door opening.
Questions
Do I need a reflector?
No — it is a through-beam pair: emitter on one side, receiver on the other.
How do I choose 5 m or 8 m?
By the width of the opening plus margin. The 8 m version also tolerates more misalignment over the same span.
Is it IP67?
No, IP65. For washdown or outdoor rain exposure use a potted IP67 model.
Need a quotation for LMC12 Miniature?
Send your application details or the guard opening dimensions and we will specify the right model and configuration for your machine.