Photoelectric sensors are ideal for non-contact detection of targets at a distance regardless of material. Photoelectric sensors emit invisible infra-red or visible red light to detect the presence of an object. The target either breaks a beam of light or reflects it back to the detector to activate the sensor output.

Advantages of photoelectric sensors include longer standoff distances than inductive proximity sensors, ability to detect virtually any target material, ability to differentiate between targets of different color or surface characteristics, and the ability to operate in different sensing modes such as thru-beam, retro-reflective, or diffuse.

Balluff photoelectric sensors are available in a variety of tubular and block-style housings, with special functionalities such as laser distance measurement, luminescence detection, and color recognition.