The Festo SMEO-2 is a magnetic reed proximity sensor — a normally-open switch that closes in the presence of a magnetic field, rated for 0 … 220 V AC and switching up to 2 A at 500 Hz. The IP65 enclosure means it handles washdown and dust ingress, making it a fit for pneumatic cylinder position sensing on automated assembly lines where coolant or mist is present. With a switching time of 2 ms and permissible voltage peaks up to 550 V, it handles inductive kickback from solenoid valves without external suppression in most cases.
The plug-socket connector simplifies field replacement — no hardwiring into the cylinder; just unplug the old sensor and plug in the replacement. The wide operating temperature range of -20 … 120°C covers hot-molding presses and paint-oven proximity detection where standard sensors fail above 70°C.