November 25, 2008

Starting point for vision success
If you're considering machine vision, it's tempting to get caught up in camera choices, lighting schemes, and setup programs. But you should ignore such thoughts until you have thoroughly analyzed your application, according to David Dechow, president of Aptúra Machine Vision Solutions, a Michigan integrator. Read More

A D V E R T I S E M E N T Cognex® vision does it all! When a major pharmaceutical manufacturer needed to inspect tiny vials for liquid level and impurities, they chose In-Sight® from Cognex. With the ability to inspect for impurities as small as 1mm at 10,000 vials an hour, no other vision system would do. What can Cognex vision do for you?

Vision market hinges on ease of use
In a recent interview, Justin Testa of Cognex discussed trends in machine-vision technology. Read More

OptoTherm upgrades thermal imaging system
Used for semiconductor failure analysis, the latest version of the Micro thermal imaging system from OptoTherm offers a new thermal imaging camera with a 20-µm/pixel fixed-focus lens, a wide-angle 50° focusable lens, and a 320x240-element uncooled detector. Read More

Sensors Unlimited rolls out SWIR InGaAs camera
With its square 25-µm pixels, the SWIR (shortwave infrared) SU-LDH digital line-scan camera from Sensors Unlimited is well-suited for high-speed, high-resolution machine vision and process control applications. Read More

A D V E R T I S E M E N T Featured White Paper: Finding Power/Ground Defects on Connectors by Agilent As printed circuit boards become faster, defects in connectors and sockets can have more subtle and damaging effects. This paper surveys existing tests for these defects and introduces a solution based on Network Parameter Measurements. Click here

Allied Vision expands IEEE 1394b camera family
Following its introduction last year, the Stingray family of CCD cameras from Allied Vision Technologies gains two models delivering resolutions of 1.3 Mpixels and 5 Mpixels. Read More

Dalsa debuts Spyder and Genie cameras
The Spyder3 line-scan color camera is based on the firm's Spyder3 monochrome models; the new Genie C1600 and M1600 GigE Vision-compliant cameras feature 2-Mpixel color or monochrome sensors. Read More

Pleora touts GigE Vision support
Pleora Technologies announced that the company's eBUS Driver Suite and PureGEV Suite software are now available for all GigE Vision-compatible products, including cameras not based on the company's iPORT IP Engines. Read More

Basler extends IEEE 1394b digital camera portfolio
Aimed at price-sensitive applications, Basler's scout light series of digital cameras comprises four monochrome models based on a selection of Sony CCD sensors and Micron's MT9V CMOS sensor. Read More

Leutron adds motorized-lens support
To support quality-control applications in which a camera must automatically adjust to different sizes, Leutron Vision has added a motorized-lens option to its PicSight modular camera line. Read More

Last week to take a November challenge
Answer a challenge question correctly, and you could be eligible to win a prize.

Oscilloscope Challenge:
Question: What is the order of the colors used to indicate the frequency of occurrence of a signal?
Prize: TomTom ONE GPS
Sponsor: Yokogawa

Data-Acquisition Challenge:
Question: Why do data-acquisition and control systems use a high-value pull-up resistor connected between a thermocouple and a fixed voltage?
Prizes: $100 Best Buy gift card
Sponsor: Test & Measurement World

Go to the Challenge Page

Troubleshoot intermittent signals; compress digital signals
Our November cover story explains how engineers at Mercury Computer Systems work together to design and test processor boards and systems for military applications. Another feature describes how to use a digital oscilloscope to locate an elusive waveform, and a third discusses digital signal compression in mixed-signal ATE. Plus, the issue also includes the PXI Test Report. Read it today

Industry calendar of events
Upcoming events include the AIA Annual Business Conference (February), APEX (March), and The Vision Show (March). For more information about these and other test-related events, visit our
online calendar.

November Issue

S P O N S O R E D Read Simulating the Effects of a Transfer Switch by Creating Phase Shift by Pacific Power Source in the TMWorld.com Resource Center This application note demonstrates how to simulate the phase shift that may be encountered on an AC line when power is applied from a second, "synchronized" source of AC Power. Other Resource Center Features: • Evaluating Oscilloscopes for Best Signal Visibility application note by Agilent • The Fundamentals of Signal Integrity webcast by Tektronix • 5 Critical Factors for Choosing Digital Image Capture Technology by Dalsa