While traditional webcams are notoriously easy to bring online, they are typically only consumer-grade in robustness, and the images they deliver haven’t been standards compliant – meaning machine vision software hasn’t been able to process the data.
Enter IDS uEye XC, a game changing USB3 auto-focus camera from the Vision Standard-compliant uEYE+ product line. With integrated auto-focus, images – both stills and videos – remain sharp even as working distance varies. Application possibilities include kiosk systems, logistics, and robotics.
With a lightweight magnesium housing, dimensions of just 32 x 61 x 19mm (W x H x D), the 13 MP OnSemi sensor delivers 20 fps. BSI (Backside lllumination) provides significant improvements in low light signal-to-noise ratio, visible light sensitivity and infrared performance.
The IDS uEye XC camera utilizes industrial-grade components and IDS provides a long planned lifecycle, so that customers can confidently do design-ins knowing they can source more cameras for many years to come. Additional features include 24x digital zoom, auto white balance and color correction.
Designed for plug-and-play installation, IDS’ peak SDK makes it easy to configure the camera for optimal performance in your application, in case you want to modify parameter settings.
Contact us at 1stVision with a brief idea of your application, and we will contact you to discuss camera options. support and / or pricing.
1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.
1st Vision is the most experienced distributor in the U.S. of machine vision cameras, lenses, frame grabbers, cables, lighting, and software in the industry.
While the differences between the applications for an area scan machine vision camera vs. a line scan camera may often appear to be subtle, the differences in their technologies and the ways to optimize them in specific use cases is clear. By optimizing we include relative costs as well as imaging outcomes. This brief overview provides a foundational overview. For additional application engineering assistance please contact one of our industrial imaging technical consultants and get the support you need.
Definition of an Area Scan Camera:
Area scan cameras are generally considered to be the all-purpose imaging solution as they use a straight-forward matrix of pixels to capture an image of an object, event, or scene. In comparison to line scan cameras, they offer easier setup and alignment. For stationary or slow moving objects, suitable lighting together with a moderate shutter speed can produce excellent images.
Even moving objects can become “stationary” from the perspective of an area scan camera through appropriate strobe lighting and/or a fast shutter speed, so just because something is motion does not necessarily disqualify an area scan solution.
Among the key features of an area scan camera include that the camera, when matched with a suitable lens, provide a fixed resolution. This allows for easy set up in imaging system applications where the cameras will not move after installation. Area scan cameras are also extremely flexible, as a single frame can be segmented into multiple regions-of-interest (ROI) to look for specific objects rather than having to process the entire image.
Additionally, some models of area scan cameras are optimized to be sensitive to infrared light, in portions of the spectrum not visible to the human eye. This allow for thermal imaging as well as feature identification applications that can be innovative and cost-effective, opening new opportunities for machine vision.
NIR imaging detects flaws in photovoltaic modules
Definition of a Line Scan Camera:
In contrast to an area scan camera, in a line scan camera a single row of pixels is used to capture data very quickly. As the object moves past the camera, the complete image is pieced together in the software line-by-line and pixel-by-pixel.
Line scan camera systems are the recognized standard for high-speed processing of fast-moving “continuous”objects such as in web inspection of paper, plastic film, and related applications.. Among the key factors impacting their adoption in these systems is that the single row of pixels produced by line scanning allows the imaging processing system to build continuous images unlimited by a specific vertical resolution. This results in superior, high resolution images. Unlike area scan cameras, a line scan camera can also expose a new image while the previous image is still transferring its data. (Because the pixel readout is faster than the camera exposure.) When building a composite image, the line scan camera can either move over an object or have moving objects presented to it. Coordination of production/camera motion and image acquisition timing are critical for line scan cameras but, unlike area scan cameras, lighting is relatively simple.
What if you need to image a medical tube, or round object, such as a steel ball bearing?
In certain applications, line scan cameras have other specific advantages over area scan cameras. Consider this application scenario: You need to inspect several round or cylindrical parts and your typical system experience is with area scan cameras, so you set about to use multiple cameras to cover the entire part surface. It’s doable, but a better solution would be to rotate the part in front of a single line scan camera to capture the entire surface and allow the processor to “unwrap” the image pixel-by-pixel. Line scan cameras are also typically smaller than area scan. As a result, they sneak into tight spaces such as in a spot where they might have to peek through rollers on a conveyor to view a key angle of a part for quality assurance.
Not sure which area scan or line scan camera is right for you?
There are a host of options and tradeoffs to consider even after you’ve made your decision on the technology that’s likely best for you. 1st Vision is the US distributor you need. Our industrial imaging consultants are available to help you navigate the various camera models and brands from industry-leading manufacturers Teledyne DALSA, IDS, and Allied Vision.
Are you having problems with your machine vision camera deliveries? Due to component shortages in the global marketplace, many camera manufacturers’ lead times are 3 to 6 months and some pushing more than 9 months.
We have good news. As a stocking distributor, 1stVision has over 300 cameras in stock!
IDS Imaging, Allied Vision, and Teledyne DALSA cameras
Many of the popular Sony Pregius sensors such as IMX264, IMX249, IMX265, IMX392, IMX304, IMX545 to name a few along with sensors from ON-SEMI are in stock.
We can get USB3 cameras in 3-6 weeks even if the model is not in stock.
We may be a distributor, but our technical knowledge is second to none with our sales engineers having an average of 25 years of experience in the industry. We can solve your problems and make recommendations. We’re the stocking distributor that’s big enough to stock the best cameras, and small enough to care about every image.
We’re also committed to customer education – we maintain online resources such as a Knowledge Base and a Machine Vision Blog, regularly updated to keep you informed of new technologies and product releases. Machine vision and optics are evolving fields, with new technologies constantly emerging – it pays to stay informed.
Visible to SWIR sensors that cover both the visible and short wave infrared spectrum, are now available, affordable, and well-suited for a range of imaging applications. Previously one might have needed two different sensors – and cameras – but Allied Vision’s Alvium 1800 U/C-030 and Alvium 1800 U/C-130 take advantage of Sony’s innovative InGaAs SenSWIR sensor technology to provide coverage across the visible to SWIR spectrum with the Sony IMX991.
Alvium VSWIR with MIPI CSI-2 and USB3 Vision interfaces
These Alvium 1800 VSWIR cameras can be used from 400 nm to 1700 nm, and are the smallest industrial-grade, uncooled SWIR core modules on the market. With their compact design, low power consumption, and light weight, they are the ideal solution for compact OEM systems used in embedded and machine vision applications.
The 030 models use a ¼”sensor with framerates to 223 fps, while the 130 models use a ½” sensor with framerates to 119 fps. Both are available with USB3 Vision or MIPI CSI-2 interfaces, in housed, open, or board-level configurations.
Contact us at 1stVision with a brief idea of your application, and we will contact you to discuss camera options. support and / or pricing.
1st Vision’s sales engineers have an average of 20 years experience to assist in your camera selection. Representing the largest portfolio of industry leading brands in imaging components, we can help you design the optimal vision solution for your application.
1st Vision is the most experienced distributor in the U.S. of machine vision cameras, lenses, frame grabbers, cables, lighting, and software in the industry.
