Vision + Automation Products

CCD camera is ultracompact

EC1380 camera, optimized for speed and miniaturized to fit into tight areas, incorporates the Sony ICX285 CCD progressive-scan sensor with ExView HAD technology. The EC1380C color camera has on-board color interpolation for RGB24, YUV4:1:1, YUV4:2:2, and raw Bayer output. The camera does not require a frame grabber but communicates with the host computer through an IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interface. Software includes ProViewer application, the camera driver, and the ProSDK software development kit.
Prosilica
Burnaby, BC, Canada
www.prosilica.com

Controller gives LED control

Two-channel iQ421 LED controller has a user-friendly operating system featuring a 2-line/16-character LCD display that delivers on-demand in four languages. An integrated RS-232 interface provides continuous monitoring of temperature, light output, and status and allows the controller to operate as a stand-alone unit. An internal strobe generator with frequencies between 15 Hz and 50 KHz can freeze motion. The iQ421 can be remotely switched on and off, with error control codes displayed on the front LCD panel and transmitted to the host computer. The 2-amp light-source output can be powered with 12- or 24-Vdc power supplies, depending on the color and number of LEDs in the light head.
Schott North America
Auburn, NY, USA
www.us.schott.com

Shutter operates open or closed

BDS25 shutter has bistable movement that allows the blades to remain in the open or closed position without a holding voltage applied to the coil. Therefore, the shutter can operate under lower power and bandwidth conditions. It incorporates two microminiaturized actuator systems. The shutter is available in an unhoused OEM version (a housed version will be available soon) that is electronically programmed to fire specific exposures at precise time intervals. The BDS25 can be driven with the VMM or VCM drive system through a microprocessor interface cable that is supplied with the shutter.
Vincent Associates
Rochester, NY, USA
www.uniblitz.com

IR cameras have high sensitivity

Camera series is intelligent

The eXcite camera system integrates two components-a digital camera and a PC-in a 151 × 55 × 60-mm housing. A 64-bit, 1-GHz MIPS processor with networking communication capabilities is the heart of the camera. In addition to the MIPS core, peripherals such as memory and Ethernet interfaces are included in the processor chip. The eXcite is based on a CMOS sensor with VGA resolution and is available in both monochrome and color. The frame rate ranges from 60 to 180 frames/s. Standard camera features, such as an electronic full-frame shutter, area-of-interest scanning, and real-time triggering, are available.
Basler
Ahrensburg, Germany
www.basler-vc.com

Cameras perform thermography

M7800 and M7815 are fully radiometric cameras weighing less than 3 lb and designed for one-handed, point-and-shoot operation. They offer a high-resolution 320 × 240 UFPA detector with 60-Hz refresh rate. Features include a measuring range of -20°C to 500°C, on-board storage of 1300 images, and a 3.5-in. articulating LCD that allows viewing at anyangle. The M7800 includes a laser target designator and visible camera for simultaneous visible/IR imaging. Image-processing functions include four measurement points, four points of emissivity, temperature difference, max/min (peak hold) temperature, a boxed region of interest that can be keyed to an alarm, and 2X and 4X digital zoom. Images can be downloaded to a PC running MikroSpec Thermal Imaging Software for analysis and report generation. Stored images can be transferred to a PC via USB 2.0 connection. SVHS and composite video ports are provided for video output.
Mikron Infrared
Hancock, MI, USA
www.irimaging.com

Adaptive lighting is robust

Vicolux lighting, made up of more than 500 components, can adjust to different lighting requirements, thus avoiding the need to use several lighting units in one application. Every LED in the lighting unit can be individually set to one of 1024 brightness steps within a Windows program or via the Vicorem remote-control code. The connection to the master computer is via a 100-Mbit Ethernet interface. The free protocol for controlling the lighting is available
Vision & Control
Suhl, Germany
www.vision-control.com

Brushless servomotors are small

MaxPlusPlus (MPP) series of brushless servomotors feature segmented lamination technology, which can yield up to 40% higher torque per unit size than conventionally wound servomotors. High-performance neodymium magnets provide higher acceleration rates. MPP motors are available in 92-, 100-, 115-, 142-, 190-, 230-, and 270-mm frames. They come with thermistor protection, resolver, incremental encoder or absolute encoder (single- or multiturn), optional 24-V fail-safe brake, and IP65 shaft seal. Torque ranges from 1.5 to 160 nm of continuous stall torque (5- to 500-nm peak torque). The motors are fully customizable.
Parker Automation
Rohnert Park, CA, USA
www.parkermotion.com

Processor combines PowerPC and FPGA

The 3CPF1, a signal-processing engine that combines the capabilities of a Xilinx Virtex-II Pro FPGA (XC2VP70), a Freescale PowerPC CPU (7447A), and multichannel communications, comes in a rugged 3U form-factor board. Key benefits include increased data-processing throughput and reduced cost through the use of fewer processor cards. The 3CPF1 is supported by the VxWorks RTOS, while Linux support is in development. The PowerPC 7447A processor node is integrated with the FPGA via a Marvell MV64360 bridge, which also provides a path to 512 Mbytes of SDRAM, flash memory, as well as Gigabit Ethernet channels and serial I/O to form a PowerPC-based subsystem.
VMETRO
High Wycombe, UK
www.vmetro.com

Camera eases system design

XCI-SXI Smart Camera features a MontaVista Linux-based operating system, AMD GeodeGX533 400-MHz processor, Compact Flash memory, and connectivity via Ethernet, USB 1.1, and monitor out. The camera uses a Sony 1/2-in. SXGA PS B&W CCD and operates at 15 frames/s at SXGA resolution and 34 frames/s at VGA. Shutter speed in monitoring mode can run from 1 to 1/100,00 s; 1/15 to 1/50,000 s in trigger mode. Gain control ranges from 0 to 18 dB in 1-dB steps. Other functions include on/off Gamma, negative/positive reverse, binarization, binning, and partial scan.
Sony Electronics
Park Ridge, NJ, USA
www.sony.com/videocameras

Eye tracker is basic

Eye Start is an off-the-shelf product that can perform basic eye tracking and can serve as an eye-tracking training tool. It can be upgraded at any time to include all features available in more-extensive products. The tracker is limited to use on a chin rest and is easy to set up. The system includes everything necessary to eye track and display a crosshair over stimulus displayed on a computer screen. Additionally, it includes the company’s EYENAL and FIXPLOT analysis software and a software-development kit. The interface and analysis software are installed on a standard PC.
Applied Science Laboratories
Bedford, MA, USA
www.a-s-l.com

System inspects labels

iIS-010 smart camera, an integrated image-processing system, comprises a high-performance CCD camera, control unit, and software. Camera electronics support a 60-Hz progressive-scan frame rate and are housed within the 150 × 60 × 80-mm assembly, with a single cable connecting a remote-head, double-speed VGA sensor. An intuitive computer interface, accessible through Microsoft Explorer, guides setup and operation. Three types of camera heads are available: a C-mount, 20-mm cubic, and lipstock type. In addition to its RS-232C serial interface, the iIS-010 offers 10/100base T Ethernet networking connectivity.
Toshiba Teli America
Irvine, CA, USA
www.toshiba-teli.co.jp

Switches integrate with extenders

Digital cross-point switch (DSC) matrix-switching line integrates seamlessly with the company’s extenders. The switches have full nonblocking matrix capability for 8 to 144 source inputs and 8 to 144 fully configured remote graphics consoles. The DSC is fiber-in and fiber-out for ease of installation and minimal cable congestion. Fully loaded chassis sizes are 32 × 32, 72 × 72, and 144 × 144 ports.
Logical Solutions/Thinklogical
Milford, CT, USA
www.thinklogical.com

Mpixel cameras easily integrate

The 3.3MPX and 20MPX megapixel cameras are designed for scientific and industrial imaging applications. The 3.3MPX is a color microscope camera with 3.3-Mpixel resolution and on-board image processing. The 20MPX offers 21-Mpixel resolution through shifting a native 1280 × 1024-pixel array. Both cameras have an intuitive user interface that provides full camera control with live video preview for real-time framing and focus. Twain drivers provide instantaneous integration within image-analysis and image-processing applications. The high-speed USB 2.0 interface eliminates a frame grabber card and facilitates ease of installation on both laptop and desktop computers.
Optronics
Santa Barbara, CA, USA
www.optronics.com

NIR camera fits OEM applications

TM-250/260NIR machine-vision camera offers a high-sensitivity interline-transfer 1/2-in. CCD imager in a miniature package. The Sony CCD (NTSC: ICX428ALL, CCIR: ICX429ALL) offers increased sensitivity in both the visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectrums. The camera features resolutions of 768 × 494 (EIA) and 752 × 582 (CCIR) and shutter speeds from 1/60 to 1/29,000 s. Its DIP switches on the back panel allow it to be configured in many different modes. Edge preselect, reset-restart, and other modes are features.
JAI Pulnix
Sunnyvale, CA, USA
www.jaipulnix.com

Vision software is customizable

Vision Builder for Automated Inspection 2.6, an upgrade to the company’s interactive software for configuring, benchmarking, and deploying machine-vision applications, extends the capabilities of Vision Builder AI with an ActiveX control and tools for integrating LabVIEW VIs into inspection scripts and creating customized steps. The ActiveX control offers the ability to customize user interfaces, access acquired images, and communicate inspection results in development environments such as Microsoft Visual Basic, LabVIEW, and TestStand test-management software. Images can be acquired and processed with any of the company’s frame grabbers, the Compact Vision System, or directly from more than 100 IEEE 1394 (FireWire) cameras.
National Instruments
Austin, TX, USA
www.ni.com

Camera has double imaging capability

The SIR2 is a high-speed camera that offers double imaging-it can acquire two separate full resolution images simultaneously. The rigid all-metal IP54-compliant construction allows the compact camera to withstand harsh industrial and military environments. An integral TFT monitor permits users to see what the camera sees in real time, thus allowing easy optimization of focus and lighting. All imaging functions can be controlled from the local keypad for setup, while full remote operation is achieved over Ethernet cabling. Image archiving in a range of industry-standard file formats is supported. Where more complex measurements are required, several cameras can be operated from a single computer, with timings for all cameras linked to the same control screen.
Specialised Imaging
Tring, UK
www.specialised-imaging.com

Ethernet/IP added to cameras

The Ethernet/IP communication protocol has been added to the IMPACT family of intelligent cameras. Ethernet/IP is available as part of Inspection Builder 6.1 software, which can be downloaded at the company’s Web site. The software features image-processing technology, plus tools for deploying complete inspection solutions in the factory environment.
PPT Vision
Eden Prairie, MN, USA
www.pptvision.com

IR camera captures images

MobIR M4 IR camera resembles a mobile phone in size and shape, weighing 265 gm and measuring 120 × 60 × 30 mm. It can integrate into its casing both thermal and CMOS cameras, dual LCD displays, built-in blackbody, and a laser locator and battery bay. Thermal sensitivity is ~0.1°C, 8 Mbytes of flash memory is available, and camera captures noise-free 16-bit, 160 × 120-pixel thermal images. M4 comes with USB 1.1 interface.
Wuhan Guide Infrared Technology
Wuhan, China
www.guideinfrared.com

Small camera is fast

MemView is a high-speed-memory camera system that allows capture of up to 12 s of 1280 × 1024 imagery at 500 frames/s. The system has arbitrary frame-size adjustability and comes standard with acquisition and playback software. Other features include multiple trigger options, frame subtraction, analog video output, and a USB 2.0 interface. Both IRIG timing and the company’s virtual photodetector analysis software are available as options. MemView weighs 3.5 lb, is 4.25 × 4.25 × 10 in., and uses 24 V at 4 A maximum power.
Southern Vision Systems
Madison, AL, USA
www.southernvisionsystems.com

Camera sets aperture remotely

HR-200c color digital camera features a 2-million pixel CCD and utilizes a Gigabit Ethernet interface for camera control and image transfer. With its fast shutter speed and image capture, this camera is intended for detailed image analysis and high-quality print output. Full control of Canon EF-compatible lenses makes it possible to focus and adjust aperture settings remotely. It weighs 4.8 lb and measures 8.9 × 4.1 × 3.8 in.
Imaginant
Rochester, NY, USA
www.imaginant.com

Device inspects print quality

PQEye is a compact (50 × 50 × 170 mm, including lens) smart-camera-based instrument that can address narrow-web print-inspection tasks or check the position, correctness, and quality of text and graphics that have been machine-printed on discrete parts. Inspection speeds range from 3 parts/s on individual items up to 20 frames/s in web applications. Setup, training, and test procedures are done using a multifunction keypad and a graphical user interface that displays on standard SVGA monitors.
The Value Engineering Alliance
Cambridge, MA, USA
www.The-V-E-A.com

Rotary stages are automated

Low-profile rotary stages have integrated ER collet chuck that provides automated material-handling capability for a wide range of materials and applications. ER collets provide run-out characteristics for applications requiring high-precision gripping of tubular material and are available in sizes that support tube diameters from 0.5 to 16 mm. The collet is retained with a threaded retaining cap that enables quick changeover and is configured in a fail-safe normally closed mode where full clamping force is applied when no air pressure is present.
Aerotech
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
www.aerotech.com

X-ray sensor has active pixels

The C9728DK is a 1056 × 1056 active-pixel CMOS image sensor in which each pixel has an individual amplifier providing low-noise images. Utilizing a correlated double-sampling circuit and a direct-deposition columnar structure CsI scintillator, the C9728DK can create high-quality 14-bit digital video signals. Scintillator design eliminates need for focusing lenses or tapered fiberoptics. The unit comes with a USB 2.0 interface and demonstration software with code and library.
Hamamatsu Photonics
Bridgewater, NJ, USA
www.sales.hamamatsu.com

Smart camera implements embedded functions

SBC4018 single-board smart camera has 3200 MIPS on-board DSP computational power. It features 16 Mbytes of on-board SDRAM image/data memory with 2 Mbytes of flash EPROM for data and program storage, process IOs, outputs for lighting control, progressive-scan CCD, instant triggering, full-frame integration, electronic shutter, and small size (60 × 80 mm). The single-board line works with standard industrial C-mount lenses and 12-V power supply.
Vision Components
Hudson, NH, USA
www.vision-comp.com

CMOS camera aims at industry use

Atmos CMOS area-scan cameras can work in 8, 10, or 12 bits and have a signal-to-noise ratio of 63 dB. The cameras are easy to configure with the company’s CommCam software. The ATMOS 1M30 and 1M60 are composed of a 1.3 million-pixel CMOS sensor, featuring high sensitivity at maximum speed. The ROI allows the end user to implement infinite resolutions and to increase frame rate: 48 frames/s full resolution at 1.3 Mpixels, 60 frames/s at 1 Mpixels, and 180 frames/s in VGA format for the 1M60 model (half-speed for the 1M30). There is a Camera Link interface that allows upgrade from analog to digital modes.
Atmel
Grenoble, France
www.atmel.com

Image system is easy to use

MegaPlus ES11000 features include 11-Mpixel interline-transfer camera head and controller, both Camera Link and Firewire interfaces, up to 12-bit monochrome images or 36-bit color images at 4.63 frames/s for full resolution and more than 13 frames/s with 4 x 4 binning. It is useful for such applications as remote sensing, flat-panel inspection, ophthalmology, digital photography, and scientific imaging and microscopy.
Redlake
San Diego, CA, USA
www.redlake.com

StreamPix supports JetX

StreamPix is a digital video-recording software package for acquiring live uncompressed or compressed video directly to a computer’s hard disk or RAM memory. Features include real-time JPEG compression using Euresys JetX on-board chipset, compression ratio of 4 to 1, and playback sequences side by side.
NorPix
Montreal, QC, Canada
www.norpix.com