Start with the decision at the sensing tip
Write the desired decision in one sentence: detect liquid at the low nozzle, reject foam at a high alarm, or distinguish product from a cleaning state. These duties may look similar in a photograph but require different switching behavior. Also record what the PLC should do when the tip is uncovered, the cable is removed or the sensor loses power.
Three routes through the portfolio
Baumer groups LBFS / LBFS-2 with straightforward media detection, PL20 / LBFx with changing process requirements, and LFFS with high-temperature applications. This is a useful shortlist, not confirmation that a named family fits the installation. The actual variant, trigger mode, connection and documentation decide that.
For example, a site with one repeatable liquid and a discrete PLC input may begin with the defined-media route. A batch plant changing products may instead investigate the trigger behavior of a suitable PL20 variant. A hot cleaning cycle may make thermal construction and mounting geometry decisive, even when normal production is cool.
Keep legacy references in their proper scope
The English LBFS sheet supplied with this website is dated March 2018. It remains useful when investigating an installed legacy sensor, but it is not a current specification for LBFS-2. Copying its output-load figure or response time into a quotation for a different generation would bypass a necessary compatibility check. Use the full nameplate code to request the applicable document.
Ask for a configuration record, not a family promise
A useful quotation identifies the full code, drawing revision, process connection, seal, wetted materials, power supply, output assignment and required accessories. It also states the pressure and temperature combination that is acceptable during production and cleaning. If an approval is required, the document must cover the offered variant and installation conditions.
Do not select a product by taking the highest temperature from one portfolio entry and the highest pressure from another. Treat unknown items as open engineering questions. The family cards on this site pass the selected family into an inquiry so that these questions can be resolved before ordering.
What to confirm for your application
- Control decision and required empty/full behavior
- Full order code and generation
- Current drawing and datasheet revision
- Combined production and cleaning limits
- Output, connector, accessories and applicable approvals
References
Baumer — CleverLevel point level sensor portfolio (reviewed 2026-10-03)
Baumer CleverLevel LBFS datasheet — supplied reference, EN/2018-03-01
Technical guidance. Verify the current order-code documentation and your plant requirements before applying a recommendation.