Analog (4–20mA) vs Digital Laser Distance Sensors in Industrial Automation

Hi everyone,

I’m currently evaluating laser distance sensors for an industrial automation project and would appreciate some practical insights from those with field experience.

The application involves continuous distance monitoring in a relatively harsh industrial environment (dust, vibration), with integration into a PLC-based control system. We are considering two main options:

– Analog output laser distance sensors (4–20mA)
– Digital interface sensors (RS485 / Modbus or UART)

From your experience:

In terms of long-term stability and noise immunity, how do analog laser sensors compare with digital ones in real industrial installations?

For applications where response time and measurement consistency are more important than high data throughput, is 4–20mA still the preferred option?

Are there any common pitfalls when using laser distance sensors with PLC analog input modules that engineers should watch out for?

I’ve reviewed some technical references and product examples here for context:
https://lasersensor.net

I’m particularly interested in lessons learned rather than datasheet-level comparisons.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.