2026-08-27 · Technical Insights

Magnetostrictive Displacement Sensor Quick-Select Table: Stroke, Accuracy, Output and Protection

When reading a magnetostrictive displacement sensor table, accuracy is never one figure for a whole family — it is quoted per range. Selecting a magnetostrictive displacement sensor is most tedious when parameters are flipped among a dozen series. This article compresses the Germanjet full-range core parameters into one quick-reference table: stroke, accuracy, output signal, protection class and positioning in one sentence. Pressure rating, cylinder-cap interface and resolution are written by series from — do not put Series 16’s 530 bar, Series 17’s 600 bar and Series 19 in-cylinder 300/600 bar on the same row. Lock the direction from the table first, then open the corresponding product page for detailed specifications.

One-page selection table of magnetostrictive displacement sensor series and ratings — All sensor series compared by range, output and pressure

Cylinder-integrated (inside the hydraulic cylinder) at a glance

Series	Range	Accuracy / resolution	Output	Protection / pressure / interface	Positioning
Series 16	50–7600 mm	16-bit D/A 0.0015% (min. 1 μm)	160 voltage / 161 current / 162 SSI	IP67; 350 working / 530 bar peak; cap Ø18G7	Flat electronics housing, cylinder-integrated
Series 17	100–4000 mm	Analogue resolution infinite (controller A/D); non-linearity <±0.02% FS (min. ±90 μm)	Voltage / current / Start-Stop	IP65/IP67; 350 / 600 bar; cap M18×1.5	Electronics housing separable from the pressure tube
19H	75–475 mm	16-bit D/A	Analog / digital / fieldbus	IP67; 300 working / 600 bar peak	Cylinder-integrated, all stainless steel
16R/16T	75–2200 mm	16-bit D/A	Dual / triple independent outputs	IP67; 350 / 530 bar; Ø18G7	Dual / triple redundancy, safety-critical
16E	75–7600 mm	16-bit D/A	Single / redundant output	IP68; peak as Series 16, 530 bar	Harsh environment, salt-spray resistant
17EX	50–4000 mm	Same analogue wording as Series 17	Multiple protocols (including fieldbus)	IP67, intrinsically safe; 350 / 600 bar; M18×1.5	Zone 0/1/2 hazardous areas

Piston-rod bore lower limit is ≥12.7 mm (Ø10 rod) on all of the above. Ø13 mm is the Series 17 cylinder-cap through-hole, not the piston-rod bore.

External (rod / rail) at a glance

Series	Range	Accuracy / resolution	Output	Protection	Positioning
Series 12	50–2500 mm	120 infinite resolution; 121 is the 16-bit D/A	Analogue voltage/current + Start-Stop	IP65/IP67, not pressure-containing	Wall-thickness-control servo cylinder end cap, DIN 43650
Series 18	50–4000 mm+	Analogue resolution infinite; non-linearity <±0.02% FS (min. ±90 μm)	Analog + Start-Stop	IP65/IP67, not pressure-containing	External rod / rail; four-pin voltage type: see wiring red lines
19P	125–4050 mm	16-bit D/A	Analog / digital / fieldbus	IP67	External rod, aluminium profile housing
19D	75–475 mm	16-bit D/A	Analog / digital / fieldbus	IP67	Split-type, electronics housing mounted remotely
19F	2500–7600 mm	Analogue 16-bit D/A	Analog / digital / fieldbus	IP67; front dead zone 50/130 mm	Flexible tube, non-ferromagnetic guide tube

Mobile hydraulics at a glance

Series	Range	Accuracy / resolution	Output	Protection	Positioning
Series 13	50–2500 mm	Per ordered model	Voltage / analog / CANopen	IP68→IP69K	Mobile machinery, 25 g vibration
13C	50–2500 mm	Per ordered model	0.1-4.9 V voltage	IP68→IP69K	Compact, low power, voltage output
13R	75–450 mm	Per ordered model	Dual-channel redundant output	IP68→IP69K	Redundant output, safety-critical

Fieldbus types at a glance (Series 19 digital interfaces)

Series	Protocol	Features	Interface
191	Analog	16-bit D/A, dual-magnet minimum 76 mm	D60 6-pin M12
192	SSI	Absolute position, 8-32 bit	D70 7-pin
194	CANopen	DS-301, 20-1000 kbit/s	D60 6-pin
195	Profibus	DP, up to 12 Mbit/s	D53 dual M12
197	EtherCAT	DC synchronisation, 100 Mbit/s	D56 daisy-chain
198	EtherCAT	Single M12 8-pin integrated	M12 8-pin
199	PROFINET	RT/IRT, encoder Profile 4.1	D56+M8

Lock the series in three steps

Step 1: decide the mounting method — cylinder-integrated choose 16/17/19H, external rod choose 12/18/19P/19D, extra-long stroke choose 19F, mobile machinery choose Series 13. Step 2: decide the output — Series 16 can be 160/161 analogue or SSI; analogue is also 191 or Series 12/18 codes, fieldbus 194/195/197/199 by PLC protocol, safety redundancy 16R/16T/13R. Step 3: check pressure rating and interface by series — Series 16 is 350/530 bar + Ø18G7, Series 17 is 350/600 bar + M18×1.5, 19H is 300/600 bar. Lock mounting first, then output, then check the pressure rating and cap thread — do not quote one resolution for the whole series. Detailed parameters are on the corresponding product page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the fastest way into the selection process?

Lock the series in three steps. Step one, the mounting method: cylinder-integrated choose 16/17/19H, external rod choose 12/18/19P/19D, extra-long stroke choose 19F, mobile machinery choose Series 13. Step two, the output: Series 16 can be 160/161 analogue or 162 SSI, analogue is also 191 or Series 12/18 codes, fieldbus is 194/195/197/199 by PLC protocol, and safety redundancy is 16R/16T/13R. Step three, check pressure rating and interface by series. Working back from the application to the mounting form and then looking up the model is far quicker than flipping through a dozen series.

Q: How do I check the pressure rating and cylinder-cap interface?

By series, never on one row: Series 16 is 350 bar working and 530 bar peak with a cap of Ø18G7; Series 17 is 350 and 600 bar with M18x1.5 on the cap; 19H in-cylinder is 300 and 600 bar. Also keep bore and through-hole apart: the piston-rod bore lower limit is at least 12.7 mm across these series with a Ø10 rod, whereas Ø13 mm is the Series 17 cylinder-cap through-hole, not the piston-rod bore. Swapping those two figures means the cylinder is machined wrongly.

Q: Which fieldbus protocols are available?

The Series 19 digital interfaces cover 194 CANopen (DS-301, 20 to 1000 kbit/s, D60 6-pin), 195 Profibus (DP, up to 12 Mbit/s, D53 dual M12), 197 EtherCAT (DC synchronisation, 100 Mbit/s, D56 daisy-chain), 198 EtherCAT (single M12 8-pin integrated) and 199 PROFINET (RT/IRT, encoder Profile 4.1, D56+M8). There is also 192 SSI for absolute position, 8 to 32 bit, and 191 analog.

Q: Which series suits extra-long stroke, harsh environment or hazardous areas?

For extra-long stroke choose the 19F flexible tube, 2500 to 7600 mm, noting its front dead zone of 50 mm for strokes below 8000 mm and 130 mm above. For a salt-spray resistant harsh environment choose 16E, 75 to 7600 mm, IP68, with peak pressure as Series 16 at 530 bar. For mobile machinery needing high protection choose Series 13, IP68 to IP69K with 25 g vibration. For hazardous areas choose the 17EX intrinsically safe type, rated for Zone 0, 1 and 2.