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ECS cost efficient 3D sensor series

Automation Technology GmbH announces the ECS series, where ECS means Eco Compact Sensor. Using less expensive optics and sensors, the standardized pre-configured offering is more than good enough for many applications. And priced to pass the lower-cost component savings on to the customer.

ECS 3D sensors – Courtesy Automation Technology GmbH

Ideal for applications in food, logistics, and robot vision, the sweet spot is performance that’s good enough to add value and get the job done, without having to purchase components needed for even higher performance. ECS sensors use the principle of laser triangulation to create a 3D point cloud.

Resolution and speed.

ECS delivers 2048 points per profile, at up to 43 kHz. Compare that to AT’s higher end scanners with up to 4096 points per profile, and speeds to 204 kHz.

Field of View (FoV)

Initial ECS series members are offered at 100 or 160mm FoVs, with other options planned for release.

Compact design

At only 0.65kg, about 1lb in weight, ECS 3D compact sensors can be easily integrated into many applications.

Software integration

Automation Technology’s AT Solution package makes it easy to configure your sensor. The SDK provides options for C, C++, and Python. The GigE Vision / GenICam interface means users may also choose any software compliant with those popular industry standards.

Applications

As mentioned above, food/beverage, logistics, packaging, and robotics are just a few of the suggested application areas.

Images above courtesy of Automation Technology

Three 3D sensor families: Value, Performance, and Modular

To put it in perspective, Automation Technology GmbH has expanded its 3D sensor portfolio with price : performance offerings at each of:

  • Value: ECS Series – compact, pre-calibrated, IP54 protection class, low cost
  • Performance: C6 Series – high-performance, pre-configured, IP67 protection, mid-priced
  • Modular: MCS Series – high-performance flexible configuration, IP67 protection
Comparing 3D Sensor Series – Courtesy Automation Technology GmbH

See an expanded comparison table at our website. But at a high level think of ECS as the value series. The C6 models offer high performance at a choice of resolutions. And the MCS is a modular unbundling of the C6 products – high-performance with flexible configuration.

What matters to you of course is your own application. And that’s what matters to us, too. As an independent distributor, we work for you. Tell us about your application, and we’ll guide to to the best-fit technology for your needs. Call us at 978-474-0044.

1st Vision’s sales engineers have over 100 years of combined experience to assist in your camera and components selection.  With a large portfolio of lenses, cables, NIC cards and industrial computers, we can provide a full vision solution!

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First of its kind! GigE Frame Grabber

A GigE frame grabber? What’s that about? Those who work with Camera Link or CoaXPress cameras need frame grabbers for frame transfer, but GigE?

Frame grabbers use an industry standard PCI Express expansion bus to deliver high speed access to host memory for images. They get the image from the camera, via the cabling and frame grabber, at high speed, into the host, for processing.

But I already do GigE Vision without this so why might I want one?

  • Avoid corrupted images arising from lost packets
  • Reduce CPU load
  • Synchronize images from multiple cameras
  • Perform color conversion in the frame grabber rather than the host

The full name of DALSA’s GigE frame grabber series is Xtium2-XGV PX8. It’s available in both dual and quad configurations, as shown in the image below.

Dual and quad Xtium2-XGV PX8 frame grabbers – courtesy Teledyne DALSA

More than an adapter card

The Xtium2-XGV PX8 image acquisition cards use a real-time depacketization engine to create a ready-to-use image from the GigE Vision image packets. With packet resend logic built in, image transfer reliability is enhanced. And host CPU load is reduced. So already we see two benefits.

But wait there’s more!

Supporting up to 32 cameras, these boards aggregate input bandwidth of 4 GByte/s and up to 6.8 GBytes/sec output bandwidth to the host memory. They can also perform on-board format conversions like Bayer to RGB, Bi-color to RGB, etc.

So it’s really an “Aggregator-conditioner-converter-pre-processor”

Exactly! Which is why we call it a frame grabber for short.

Psst! Wanna see some specs?

Summary of XTIUM2-XGV PX8 key specifications

Free software

Acquisition and control software libraries are included at no charge. Teledyne DALSA’s Sapera LT SDK. Hardware independent by design, Sapera LT offers a rich development ecosystem for machine vision OEMs and system integrators.

Sapera LT SDK screenshots – courtesy Teledyne DALSA

So do you need one or want one?

So an Xtium2-XGV PX8 frame grabber is an aggregator-conditioner-converter-pre-processor. It accepts multi-port GigE Vision inputs, improves reliability, optionally does format conversions, and reduces load on the host PC. If your prototype system is struggling without such a frame grabber, maybe this is the missing link. Or maybe you want to get it right on the first try. Either way, tell us more about your application, and we’ll help you decide if this – or some other approach – can help. We love partnering with our customers to create effective machine vision solutions. Call us at 978-474-0044!

1st Vision’s sales engineers have over 100 years of combined experience to assist in your camera and components selection.  With a large portfolio of lenses, cables, NIC cards and industrial computers, we can provide a full vision solution!

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Automation Technology Solution Package

Automation Technology GmbH, or AT for short, is a leading manufacturer of 3D laser profilers, and also infrared smart cameras. As customary among leading camera suppliers, AT provides a comprehensive software development kit (SDK), making it easy for customers to deploy AT cameras. AT’s Solution Package is available for both Windows and Linux. Read on to find out what’s included!

Graphic courtesy of Automation Technology GmbH.

Let’s unpack each of the capabilities highlighted in the above graphic. You can get the overview by video, and/or by our written highlights.

Video overview

Courtesy Automation Technology GmbH

Overview

AT’s Solution Package is designed to make it easy to configure the camera(s), prototype initial setups and trial runs, proceed with a comprehensive integration, and achieve a sustainable solution.

cxExplorer

Configuration of a compact sensor can be easily done with the cxExplorer, a graphical user interface provided by AT – Automation Technology. With the help of the cxExplorer a sensor can be simply adjusted to the required settings, using easy to navigate menus, stepwise “wizards”, image previews, etc.

APIs, Apps, and Tools

The cxSDK tool offers programming interfaces for C, C++, and Python. The same package work with all of Automation Technologies 3D and infrared cameras.

Product documentation

Of course there’s documentation. Everybody provides documentation. But not all documentation is both comprehensive and user-friendly. This is. It’s illustrated with screenshots, examples, and tutorials.

Metrology Package

Winner of a 2023 “inspect” award, the optional add-on Metrology Package can commission a customer’s new sensor in just 10 minutes, with no programming required. Then go on to create an initial 3D point cloud, also with little user effort required.

Screenshot of Metrology Explorer – courtesy Automation Technology GmbH

For more information about Automation Technology 3D laser profilers, infrared smart cameras, or the Solution Package SDK, call us at 978-474-0044. Tell us a little about your application, and we can guide you to the optimal products for your particular needs.

1st Vision’s sales engineers have over 100 years of combined experience to assist in your camera and components selection.  With a large portfolio of lenses, cables, NIC cards and industrial computers, we can provide a full vision solution!

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TCSE series hi-res telecentric lenses

Opto Engineering is known and respected for high-performance lenses in machine vision, medical, and related fields. The new TCSE series are telecentric lenses designed for large sensor formats (4/3″, APS-C, APS-H). Each provides high resolution with low distortion.

Who needs a telecentric lens?

Before inviting you to some of the TCSE series features, let’s offer readers who aren’t already telecentric-savvy a brief motivation for this category of lens. If you are doing precise gauging applications – measuring via optics and software – your tolerances may require a telecentric lens. A telecentric lens eliminates perspective error. They have very low distortion. And, if paired with collimated light, they enhance edge definition.

For a comprehensive read, check out our blog Advantages of Telecentric Lenses in Machine Vision Applications. Not sure if you need a telecentric lens? Call us at 978-474-0044 – tell us a little about your application and we can guide you through any or all of lens, camera, lighting and other choices.

TCSE5EM065-J – Courtesy Opto Engineering

TCSE lenses are available for applications using light in either the visible spectrum or near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. Currently there are 8 members in the TCSE product family.

Image circle diameter

The TCSE Series offers image circle diameter options from 24 – 45mm.

Magnification

A key parameter in telecentric imaging is the level of magnification available. The 8 members of the TCSE Series offer magnification ranging from 0.36 through 2.75 times the original object size.

Working distance

The working distance (WD), from the front of the lens to the object being imaged, varies by lens model across the TCSE Series. The shortest WD offered is 160mm, spanning distances up to 240mm. These long working distances allow space for lighting and/or robotic arms.

Courtesy Opto Engineering

Worth noting

While typically “plug and play” once mounted on your camera, it’s worth noting that the TCSE lenses offer back focal length adjustment, should one choose to fine tune.

Summary

Telecentric lenses are the core business for Opto Engineering, who have more than 20 years expertise in research, development, and production. 1stVision, North America’s largest stocking distributor, works to understand each customer’s application requirements, to help you select the ideal lens, camera, or other imaging component(s). Call us at 978-474-0044.

1st Vision’s sales engineers have over 100 years of combined experience to assist in your camera and components selection.  With a large portfolio of lenses, cables, NIC cards and industrial computers, we can provide a full vision solution!