MARCH 22--Photron USA Inc. (San Diego, CA; www.photron.com), a manufacturer of advanced high-speed, high-resolution imaging systems, has been awarded a contract from White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) to supply the advanced ultima APX-RS line of high-speed digital-camera systems to replace aging 16- and 35-mm high-speed film cameras currently in use. The initial contract for 26 cameras, in excess of $2 million, will begin the process of replacing up to 75 high-speed film cameras at WSMR.
The open procurement guidelines from WSMR invited all high-speed video-system manufacturers to provide quotes for digital high-speed cameras with baseline specifications of megapixel (1000 x 1000) resolution at 1000 frames/s with a minimum record time of at least 8 s and Gigabit Ethernet compatibility. The lengthy list of potential vendors was reduced to three finalists. WSMR purchased one camera from each of the three competitors for evaluation and independent field testing. White Sands Missile Range engineers, NewTec, the contractor responsible for range operations at WSMR, and an independent testing house, Electro Optical Industries (Santa Barbara, CA) combined their test results and found that Photron's ultima APX-RS exceeded specifications and performance requirements. Seventeen color ultima APX-RS cameras, equipped with Gigabit Ethernet and 16 Gbytes of memory for 12 s of record time at 1000 frames/s, and nine monochrome (black & white) APX-RS cameras, similarly equipped, will fulfill the first order.
Photron's ultima APX-RS slow motion video imager can capture 3000 frames/s at 1024 x 1024-pixel resolution and up to 10,000 frames/s at 512 x 512-pixel resolution with 250,000 frames/s at reduced resolution. Easy-to-use, the high-speed CMOS sensor features true 10-bit monochrome (30-bit color) fidelity and excellent antiblooming properties with variable aspect ratios (square or rectangular). The rugged, single-piece housing is designed for harsh conditions to operate reliably in truly hostile environments up to 100 G-s.
Founded in 1974, Photron is a supplier of photoinstrumentation, high-speed image-processing systems and photo-optical technologies for the automotive, industrial manufacturing, film and television, medical, and military markets. The company's charter, to develop and design digital imaging and high-speed motion analysis solutions for advanced technological challenges, has driven Photron's rapid revenue growth. Products include standard and custom high-resolution, high-speed cameras, software, and systems for R&D, commercial and defense-related motion image analysis applications.
