Vision 2009: VC debuts compact cameras, touts solar and other applications
Vision Components says the cameras are probably the smallest vision systems in the world.
-- Test & Measurement World, 11/6/2009 10:34:35 AM
At this year's Vision 2009 (November 3–5, Stuttgart, Germany, www.messe-stuttgart.de/VISION), Vision Components (www.vision-components.com) presented its VCSBC4012 nano intelligent board camera and VC4012 nano enclosed camera, which are designed for applications with limited installation space. The company says the cameras, which measure only 40x65 mm and 80x45x20 mm respectively, are probably the smallest vision systems in the world.
The cameras feature a CMOS sensor with a 5-Mpixel resolution. With a 400-MHz processor and a computing power of 3200 MIPS, both nano cameras include 4 Mbytes of flash EPROM and 64 Mbytes of DRAM for program and data storage, which can be optionally extended to 128 Mbytes. Furthermore, the smart cameras feature a 100-Mbps Ethernet interface and an external trigger input, which enables jitter-free image recording even at high reading frequencies. Two digital inputs and four outputs ensure integration into existing automation environments.
The company also said it is enabling cost-efficient production and quality control in the solar industry by combining its VC Solar Solution software library with smart cameras such as the new VC4067/NIR near-infrared model to form an autonomous robot guidance solution for solar-cell production. The cameras used in the solar-cell application can process several images simultaneously and transmit data in real time. Inspection tasks include detecting wafer positions, measuring all geometric dimensions, monitoring surfaces, and detecting damaged edges.
The VC4067/NIR ensures highly precise images at wavelengths up to 1100 nm. It detects defects such as micro cracks, shunts, and disconnected fingers. The resolution equals that of similar systems on the market without integrated intelligence, the company says, adding that it does not require cooling systems.
Featuring an integrated 400-MHz processor from Texas Instruments, the VC4067/NIR has a computing power of 3200 MIPS. Its 2/3-in. CCD sensor has a 1280x1024-pixel resolution, provides a maximum frame rate of 14 fps, and supports a programmable exposure time from 5 µs to 17 s. The VC4067/NIR comes with RS-232 and Ethernet interfaces and an external trigger input that enables jitter-free image capture even at high reading frequencies. Standard configuration also includes four digital PLC inputs and four outputs and an SXGA video output.
Vision Components hosted several application providers at its booth. Dutch machine-vision and embedded-camera developer Sedeco Vision (www.sedeco.nl ) Components presented its interfacing tools, which enable the operation of MVTec's HALCON on VC Smart Cameras, thus allowing programmers to easily switch between PC and smart camera applications. A developer of optic measuring, positioning, and inspection systems for manufacturing applications, FiberVision (www.fibervision.de) exhibited its VC-Smart-Camera-based Caminax (fibervision.de/produkte/caminax.htm) system and its Nanosmart-PoE intelligent camera with a 5-Mpixel resolution. IBN (www.ibn-gmbh.de) presented its PICTOMAT camera systems used in 3-D volume calculation application and a camera-guided pick-and-place robot application.
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