The AirTAC Airtac CMS Reed Switch Cylinder Sensors CMSE-M12 is a genuine CMS magnetic position switch. It senses the magnet ring in a pneumatic cylinder's piston and signals when the piston reaches that point, giving a 2-wire output on 5-240 V AC/DC with a m12 connector. It only works on a cylinder that carries a piston magnet.
CMSE-M12 pairs AirTAC's reed sensor with an M12 connector and a short 0.5 m pigtail. The reed element is a genuine mechanical contact: it switches 5-240 V AC/DC with no polarity, behaving like a limit switch rather than a DC sensor. It reads the piston magnet of a suitably equipped AirTAC cylinder, delivers a 2-wire circuit, and the general housing carries IP64. Profile E defines how it seats in the cylinder groove.
M12 is the larger, more rugged circular connector common on machine and robot looms, and the brief 0.5 m tail keeps the sensor tidy where a junction or distribution block sits directly on the machine frame. Since the element is a reed, wiring is simple series work, but treat it as a wearing part next to a solid-state DMS switch. Check that profile E matches your cylinder's groove before ordering.
| Model | Airtac CMS Reed Switch Cylinder Sensors CMSE-M12 |
|---|---|
| Family | CMS — Reed switch cylinder sensor |
| Technology | Reed (magnetic contact) |
| Output | 2-wire |
| Outputs in this family | 2-wire contact |
| Lead / connector | M12 connector |
| Supply voltage | 5-240 V AC/DC |
|---|---|
| Protection rating | IP64 |
| Version | Standard version |
| Profile letter | E (cylinder-groove fit) |
| Profiles in this family | E, G, H, J |
| Detects | Piston magnet ring inside the cylinder |
A reed contact switches a wide window, 5-240 V AC or DC, which is why it suits AC circuits and relay logic. IP64. The CMS range has no RW / IP68 option - that belongs to DMS and EMS. Switching distance, response time, current rating, voltage drop, LED behaviour, contact life, weight and dimensions are not published in our data set — ask us and we will confirm from the factory datasheet.
| CMS | Reed switch cylinder sensor — reed (magnetic contact). |
|---|---|
| E | Profile letter: the mounting / groove type that fits a particular cylinder body. This family offers E, G, H, J. It is a fit code, not a performance grade. |
| M12 | M12 connector. 020 / 030 / 050 / 100 are 2 / 3 / 5 / 10 m flying leads; M08 and M12 are M8 / M12 connector versions. |
| (blank) | Standard version. On a CMS the suffix -H is the high-temperature version — do not confuse it with the H profile letter. |
We do not hold the full profile-to-cylinder-series table, so confirm the profile letter against your cylinder model before ordering — send us the cylinder part number and we will check the fit.
The split is electrical, not quality. Solid-state DMS and EMS are DC-only and suit modern PLC inputs; the reed-based CMS switches a much wider window, so it is the one for AC circuits, relay logic and older panels. The RW (IP68) option exists on DMS and EMS only.
| This switch | CMSE · 2-wire · 5-240 V AC/DC |
|---|---|
| Consider DMS | the solid-state range with NPN / PNP 3-wire outputs (DC only) |
| Consider EMS | the mini 2-wire solid-state switch (DC only) |
| Mounting parts | F-MQ (round body), F-ACT (tie-rod) |
Clamp-advance confirmation fed through the machine tool's existing M12 sensor loom to the controller.
Gate-cylinder position on a bottling line, patched via M12 to the line PLC's digital input card.
Compact reed on gripper cylinders, with an M12 drop that plugs into the tool changer coupler.
Go M12 when the machine loom is M12-based or you want the toughest connector format; choose M8 if your cordsets are smaller; choose a flying lead if you terminate cable in-house. Electrically this reed takes AC or DC from 5 to 240 V, so it serves relay logic and mixed-voltage panels that a DC-only electronic switch cannot. The cylinder must have the built-in magnet option, and the E profile must seat in its groove - verify both with us before you buy.
Quick checklist
Use the F-MQ bracket on round-body cylinders and F-ACT on tie-rod cylinders where there is no groove to seat the switch. Both are ordered separately from the switch. Switching distance and mounting dimensions come from the factory datasheet — ask us for the sheet that matches your cylinder.
It is a reed (magnetic reed) switch, so the output is a 2-wire mechanical contact. Supply range 5-240 V AC/DC, protection IP64, wiring an M12 connector on a 0.5 m lead. Profile letter E is the groove-fit code and must match the cylinder.
Neither. Reed contacts are polarity-free, so NPN versus PNP only applies to 3-wire electronic DMS models that interface with a PLC input card. This switch simply closes a contact on AC or DC, 5-240 V, exactly like a mechanical limit switch would.
Genuine AirTAC parts produced by AirTAC factory.
Covers non-human-caused product damage.
Standard models are processed and dispatched in 3-5 business days.
Most inquiries answered within 7-8 hours.
Send us the quantity, your cylinder model (so we can confirm the profile fit) and the destination. We confirm price, availability and lead time — usually within 7-8 hours.