Machine Vision and Imaging Sciences at Photonex09

MVIS is an integrated event within the Photonex exhibition, and is now in its 8th year. It is well established as a successful UK showcase for imaging and vision technologies.

Alrad Imaging

Alrad Imaging (www.alrad.co.uk) will display sensors, cameras, lighting, lenses and software suitable for most imaging applications. The company will have a demonstration of infrared imaging, a low cost line scan camera and the latest GigE Vision cameras.

Also on display will be contact image sensor modules as well as traditional line scan cameras. The SenTech Borescope system, available either with an integral monitor or with a USB connection to a PC, will be on display.

Conekt

Conekt (www.conekt.net) will be showing some of the diverse range of applications of its photonics and vision technologies, including the Lane Departure Warning system developed for the automotive mass market, which is now available for other applications.

Conekt is the external consultancy arm of TRW Automotive. Based on almost 50 years of research and development experience, it provides key services in engineering, knowledge and technology across a number of industries including automotive, aerospace, defence, industrial, and intelligent transport systems (ITS) sectors.

Flir Systems

Flir Systems (www.flir.com) will exhibit its SC5000 series of R&D infrared cameras, which includes a range of microscopy accessories. The SC5000 is one of the most advanced, portable infrared cooled cameras available. This ultra fast, large format model achieves high spatial resolution with the highest sensitivity and accuracy. The plug-and-play camera uses either GigE or Camera Link interfaces to transmit images.

The camera series is also available with a microscopy stand. The stand embeds the Flir SC5000 series camera and macro lens with a professional two-axis (x-y) stage and a focusing stage. A complete microscopy package, comprising a Flir SC5600M camera, macro lens, protective window, a microscopy stand and Altair software will also feature at Photonex.

Hamamatsu

Hamamatsu (www.hamamatsu.co.uk) will showcase its C10990 series of OEM CCD board level cameras. The series features high sensitivity and high resolution and includes a 1.3 Megapixel 2/3-inch progressive scan interline front illuminated CCD, circuitry, and lens mount, all on one board.

Also on show will be the S10362-33 series multi-pixel photon counters (MPPC), a range of semiconductor detectors featuring photon detection capability. The device utilises a Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode structure for ultra low-level light detection, and the active area has been increased from 1mm² to 9mm².

Other products include the C10988MA, an ultra-compact spectrometer built using MOEMS technology. The C10988MA is a thumb-sized device, measuring 27.6 x 13 x 16.8mm, developed for use in portable and hand-held devices, where a standard mini-spectrometer would be too large and consume too much power.

Multipix Imaging

Multipix Imaging (www.multipix.com) will showcase the vDisplay IP Engine, the latest GigE Vision display technology from Pleora. The compact product acquires video directly from a GigE camera and displays it on a standard digital monitor, eliminating the need for bulky and costly PC clients at each viewing station.

Also on display will be an array of GigE Vision cameras, featuring the latest models ranging in resolution from VGA to 16 Megapixel. In addition, visitors wishing to learn more about the Halcon imaging processing library will have the opportunity to visit the interactive zone for a hands-on demonstration. Other live demonstrations will include the Basler Aviator 1 Megapixel 120fps camera with Euresys GrabLink Express frame grabber, utilising eVision image processing.

Resolve Optics

Resolve Optics (www.resolveoptics.com), based in Chesham, UK, will display a selection of its specialist OEM lens systems and optical modules. The company designs and produces high definition zoom lenses, miniature surveillance lenses, high temperature optical systems, radiation resistant lenses, high performance lens adapters and custom IR and UV lenses for machine vision.

Special Application Products

Special Application Products (www.sapltd.co.uk) will be showcasing Spectrum Illumination's LED lighting products, including Modular Tripods. These machine vision lighting modules are plug and play – each module has its own driver and control, up to 50 modules can be fitted together in any shape, the modules are master or slave configurable and are supplied in a thermally conductive plastic housing. The lighting modules contain an auto burst feature – the LED overdrives for 0.5ms then drops to standard current, with disable switch, and 0-10vdc intensity control or with built in potentiometer. They are low cost and can be reused and re-configured for other jobs.

Designed specifically for applications in the machine vision industry, the Spectrum Illumination Tripod range offers one of the most versatile LED lighting solutions available.

Stemmer Imaging

Stemmer Imaging (www.stemmer-imaging.co.uk) will be exhibiting several new cameras, including a smart camera and a simple high-resolution colour camera with an integral SD storage card. Also on show will be infrared cameras from the Xenics range and Dalsa's Falcon 4M60 colour camera.

The smart camera, officially launched on 1 October, offers end users, vision integrators and OEMs a fully integrated machine vision system in a compact, IP rated industrial enclosure. Packaged complete with proven inbuilt software, it eliminates the need for programming and installing software due to configuration via a standard web browser interface.

The simple colour camera is available in 1.3 Megapixel and 1.7 Megapixel resolutions and plugs directly into a VGA monitor, with no need for PC control. The image can be frozen at any time and then saved directly onto a removable SD memory card. Full control of colour, brightness, contrast and white balance are provided, together with auto-exposure and an automatic gain function for use in low light levels. Adjustable crosshairs can also be displayed to highlight features of interest within the image.

The Xenics range of infrared cameras offer extended wavelength imaging capabilities through the use of a variety of IR detectors, including InGaAs. InGaAs detectors deliver good results in the near infrared up to 1.7µm, even at room temperature, and with thermo-electrical (TE) cooling they can be operated up to a wavelength of 2.5µm – a real alternative to HgCdTe detectors. A wide variety of linear detector arrays for line scan imaging are also available.

Capable of running at 60fps with 4 Megapixel resolution, the Falcon 4M60 colour camera uses Dalsa's sensor technology with global shuttering to eliminate imaging issues, such as smearing or time displacement artefacts, often associated with full frame, frame transfer, or rolling shutter cameras.

UK Industrial Vision Association

The UK Industrial Vision Association (UKIVA) (www.ukiva.org) will be organising a series of free seminars at the exhibition. The theme for this year's seminars is 'Aspects of Imaging' and the association is actively seeking feedback as to the sort of presentations visitors would like to see, to ensure that the content is as appropriate as possible.

The seminars will provide a forum for visitors to find out about applications that use vision and imaging systems. They will allow visitors to find out about the capability of photonics for solving imaging problems, as well as providing an environment for networking with experts.

The seminar series will be divided into four sessions over two days. In addition to user-requested presentations, the seminars will include the popular back-to-basics sessions together with some product presentations and a half-day session of application examples.

Presentations already confirmed include: Innovative GigE vision display technology to stream images direct to monitors, Digital X-ray imaging techniques, Extended infrared wavelength imaging, Advanced Time Delay Integration technology for high sensitivity and high speed applications, and A new, compact smart camera for end users, vision integrators and OEMs. Back- to-basics sessions will include How to specify a vision system, Benefits of correct lighting, Lenses, and Tools for vision.

Wey Scientific and Photonics

Wey Scientific and Photonics (www.weyscientificandphotonics.com) will be exhibiting Fiber-Lite fibre optic illumination systems and light guides from Dolan-Jenner Industries, ideal for imaging and machine vision applications, as well as microscopy sensing. The light sources, optical light guide cables and other products are used in such diverse industries as automotive, aerospace, military packaging, materials handling, printing, food, metals, and semiconductor.

Also on display will be Ealing microscope objectives for industrial lasers and micromachining applications. Both reflecting objectives and standard laboratory objectives will be shown. Reflecting objectives use an all-reflecting construction to ensure freedom from chromatic aberration. They are based on a Schwarzschild two-mirror design consisting of a small convex primary mirror and a large concave secondary mirror. In addition to their correction for monochromatic aberrations, reflective microscope objectives have many advantages over reflecting objectives of equivalent aperture and focal length, including long working distances with high magnifications, large numerical aperture, and freedom from chromatic aberrations. Reflective microscope objectives are ideal for laser beam delivery.