The Omron EE-SX471 is a through-beam photoelectric sensor in a compact Box package with a 5 mm sensing slot. It runs on a 5 V supply and switches an NPN open-collector output, configured Light-ON — meaning the output transistor turns on when the beam is uninterrupted. This is the wiring logic you need to match to your PLC input card: a Light-ON NPN pulls the input low when the slot is clear, so a blocked slot (part present) leaves the output high-impedance. The 0.035 A switching current handles direct connection to most 5 V logic inputs without a buffer.
Temperature range — conditioned cabinet only
Rated for -25°C to 55°C ambient. That covers indoor production floors and ventilated electrical cabinets, but not unheated warehouses in freezing climates or ovens. If your application sees sustained temperatures above 55°C, this sensor will drift out of spec — look at the E3T-FD11 which shares the same -25°C to 55°C range but adds an IP67 rating for washdown areas.