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Brand: SICK
SICK WL4SL-3P2232 W4 Retro-Reflective Sensor
Description
WL4SL-3P2232 is a SICK W4 retro-reflective photoelectric sensor (part no. 1061561) that sends a light beam to a reflector and switches when an object interrupts it. The catalogue summary lists: sensing range max.: 0 m … 12 m; functional principle: Photoelectric retro-reflective sensor; switching output: PNP; switching mode: Light/dark switching; connection type: Male connector M8, 4-pin.
WL4SL-3P2232: function, principle and typical use
A retro-reflective sensor contains sender and receiver in one housing and uses a reflector on the opposite side of the path. The beam travels to the reflector and back; the output changes when something blocks it.
Reflex sensors are less accurate than through-beam sensors at detecting small or transparent objects, because the light passes the object twice and the loss may be small. Types with a special filter for transparent objects or a laser spot exist for these jobs and are marked in the type description.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Type code | WL4SL-3P2232 |
| Part number | 1061561 |
| Product family | W4 |
| Functional principle | Photoelectric retro-reflective sensor |
| Functional principle detail | Without reflector minimum distance (autocollimation/coaxial optics) |
| Sensing range max. | 0 m … 12 m |
| Sensing range | 0 m … 8 m |
| Polarisation filter | Yes |
| Emitted beam: Light source | Laser |
| Emitted beam: Type of light | Visible red light |
| Emitted beam: Light spot size (distance) | Ø 1 mm (500 mm) |
| Key laser figures: Normative reference | EN 60825-1:2014, IEC 60825-1:2014 / CDRH 21 CFR 1040.10 & 1040.11 |
| Key laser figures: Laser class | 1 |
| Key laser figures: Wave length | 650 nm |
| Adjustment | Single teach-in button |
| Special applications | Detecting small objects |
| Mounting hole | M3 |
| MTTFD | 616 years (EN ISO 13849-1) |
| DCavg | 0 % |
| Supply voltage UB | 10 V DC … 30 V DC |
| Current consumption | 30 mA |
| Digital output: Type | PNP |
| Digital output: Switching mode | Light/dark switching |
| Digital output: Output current Imax. | ≤ 100 mA |
| Digital output: Response time | ≤ 0.5 ms |
| Digital output: Switching frequency | 1,000 Hz |
| Output function | Complementary |
| Circuit protection | A; B; C |
| Housing | Rectangular |
| Design detail | Slim |
| Declarations and certificates in the data sheet | EU declaration of conformity; UK declaration of conformity; ACMA declaration of conformity; Moroccan declaration of conformity; China RoHS; China Compulsory Product Certification (CCC) exempt; ECOLAB certificate; Laser safety (IEC 60825-1) certificate |
Type code WL4SL-3P2232 and what to check before ordering
For the control cabinet and the cable run, the relevant figures are frequency: 1,000 Hz; range: 0 m … 12 m; current: 30 mA; supply: 10 V DC … 30 V DC; response time: ≤ 0.5 ms.
For the mounting location, note dimensions 12.2 mm x 41.8 mm x 17.3 mm; enclosure rating IP66; IP67; wavelength 650 nm; operating temperature –10 °C … +50 °C; weight 100 g; light source Laser.
For installation, mount sensor and reflector rigidly, keep the optical path free of steam and dust where possible, and avoid other shiny surfaces close to the beam that could return the light by mistake.
Typical uses are detection of boxes and containers on conveyors, door and gate monitoring, pallet and vehicle presence, and counting in packaging machines.
Documents and quotation
The official SICK data sheet for WL4SL-3P2232 (part no. 1061561) is attached as a PDF. Send the type code, quantity and delivery location through the RFQ form and Seven Star LLC, an independent supplier in Muscat, will respond with a quotation. Similar products sit under Sensors & Transmitters. Confirm the full code against the device it replaces; if this page and the data sheet ever disagree, follow the data sheet.
Datasheets & Documents
- Datasheet SICK WL4SL-3P2232 official data sheet (part no. 1061561) Download
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About brand
SICK is the German maker of industrial sensors: photoelectric and proximity sensors, safety laser scanners and light curtains, encoders, distance sensors, code readers and gas analysers. Erwin Sick, an optics engineer, founded it in Munich in 1946, and in 1952 it introduced its first marketable accident-prevention light curtain, which protected press operators by stopping the machine when a hand broke the light beam. The company moved to Waldkirch in the Black Forest in 1956 and is still headquartered there. It is a privately held company, and has been an Aktiengesellschaft (AG) since 1996.
SICK company profile
| Founded | 1946, Munich, Germany, by Erwin Sick (1909–1988) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Waldkirch, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (since 1956) |
| Ownership | Privately held; after the founder's death in 1988 his widow Gisela Sick became the main shareholder. Legal form SICK AG since 1996 |
| Size | More than 12,000 employees and group revenue of about EUR 2.3 billion (company figures for 2023) |
| First breakthrough | Accident-prevention light curtain for presses, shown in Hanover in 1952 |
| International growth | First foreign subsidiary in France in 1972, United States in 1976; today sales and service companies worldwide |
| Product families | Photoelectric, inductive, capacitive, magnetic and ultrasonic sensors; safety laser scanners, light curtains, safety controllers and relays; encoders and motor feedback systems; distance sensors and LiDAR; barcode and 2D code readers and machine vision; gas analysers, dust and flow measurement for process and emissions monitoring |
Milestones
- 1946: Erwin Sick receives a licence to run his engineering firm in Munich.
- 1952: The first marketable accident-prevention light curtain is presented in Hanover and goes into series production.
- 1956: The company moves to Waldkirch with 25 employees.
- 1972 and 1976: Subsidiaries are founded in France and the United States.
- 1996: SICK becomes an Aktiengesellschaft.
- Today: Sensors for factory and logistics automation, machine safety and process analysis, with a large share of revenue outside Germany.
Choosing a SICK sensor
For object detection, the sensing principle comes first. A retro-reflective sensor (WL series) sends light to a reflector and switches when an object breaks the beam; it is reliable over long distances and easy to align. A sensor with background suppression (WTB series) detects an object at a set distance and ignores what is behind it, which suits conveyors with shiny or dark backgrounds. A through-beam pair (WS/WE) gives the longest range and the highest reliability in dust. For transparent bottles and film, use a model built for transparent objects (for example WL12G-3B or WL150-P420). The digits in the code also matter: "P" usually means a PNP output and "N" NPN, and the last digits set the connector or cable. For machine guarding, a safety laser scanner such as nanoScan3 or microScan3 protects an area, while a safety controller such as Flexi Soft combines several safety devices.
Where SICK products are used
In Oman and the GCC, SICK sensors are used in packaging and bottling lines, food and beverage plants, logistics and airport baggage handling, cement and steel plants, ports and cranes, automated warehouses, and on machines built by European OEMs. SICK safety scanners guard robots and automated guided vehicles, and its encoders give position feedback on motors, hoists and conveyors.
SICK products we list
| Family | Examples |
|---|---|
| Photoelectric sensors | WL12-3P2431, WTB12-3P2431, GTB6-P4211, VL18-4P3240, WL12G-3B2531, WS/WE100, KT5W contrast, W26 IO-Link |
| Proximity, cylinder and ultrasonic sensors | IME12-08NPSZC0S, IME18-05BPSZC0S, MZT8, UM18 4-20 mA, UM30, UFN3 fork |
| Machine safety | nanoScan3, microScan3, S300 Professional, Flexi Soft FX3-CPU1, FX3-XTIO, ReLy OSSD |
| Encoders and motor feedback | DFS60B, AFM60 PROFINET, AFS60 SSI, ATM60 PROFIBUS, SRS50, EFS50 |
| Distance sensors and code readers | DT50, DL50, DT35, Lector632 |
Ordering SICK products: what we need
Send the type code and the 7-digit SICK part number from the label (for example WTB12-3P2431 together with its part number). For a replacement sensor, add the output (PNP or NPN), connection (M8, M12 or cable) and sensing distance. For encoders, add the interface (incremental, SSI, PROFIBUS, PROFINET), resolution and shaft type. For safety scanners, tell us the model and whether the existing configuration needs to be kept.
Facts checked against SICK's published company history and annual figures, October 2026.
Browse SICK products by category: Sensors & Transmitters.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the SICK WL4SL-3P2232?
It is a SICK retro-reflective sensor (W4), part no. 1061561. The catalogue summary reads: Sensing range max.: 0 m ... 12 m; Functional principle: Photoelectric retro-reflective sensor; Switching output: PNP; Switching mode: Light/dark switching.
What supply does the WL4SL-3P2232 need?
Supply voltage is 10 V DC ... 30 V DC. Check the output and interface rows in the table for the signal levels.
What protection rating and temperature range are given?
Enclosure rating: IP66; IP67. Ambient operating temperature: –10 °C ... +50 °C. Confirm both against the site before ordering.
Does the page include the data sheet?
Yes. The official SICK data sheet for part no. 1061561 is attached as a PDF and linked on this page; where it differs from the page text, the data sheet applies.
What should be confirmed before ordering the WL4SL-3P2232?
Compare the full type code and part number 1061561 with the device being replaced, check supply, output or interface and mounting, and send the details through the RFQ form. Seven Star LLC is an independent supplier, not a SICK partner.
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