Are photoelectric sensors considered digital or analog?

Photoelectric sensors are considered digital devices because they typically produce a discrete output signal indicating the presence or absence of an object. These sensors operate by sending out a beam of light and detecting any interruptions or reflections of that beam. When an object is detected in the path of the light beam, the sensor changes its output state, usually from low to high, leading to a binary result. This binary nature aligns with the characteristics of digital sensors, which primarily communicate in two states: on or off.

While some photoelectric sensors might have the capability to provide analog signals, such as those that measure the distance to an object or the intensity of light reflected, the fundamental operation of detecting presence is inherently digital. This is why the classification of photoelectric sensors primarily leans towards digital, as their most common functionality revolves around a simple binary output.