Photonex 2017
Photonex is the UK's largest showcase event dedicated to photonics and light technologies.
ACM Coatings
ACM Coatings will be showing its ultra-black foils, which deliver the lowest available reflectance for a broad wavelength range from UV to VIS and IR. The foils are designed for stray light suppression, laser power absorption, or the enhancement of signal-to-noise ratio when uncompromised optical performance is required.
The foils are available with a self-adhesive backing that allows users to attach them to nearly any substrate easily. They are available as standard sheets or in a customised shape.
The foils are ideal for vision and imaging applications for covering measuring chambers, separation of lighting and imaging channels, black image background, and as a calibration target.
Alrad
Alrad will be exhibiting a wide range of imaging products. Of special mention is the New Imaging Technologies’ range of short wavelength infrared cameras. Both VGA and QVGA cameras will be displayed.
The VGA camera will have a Gooch and Housego SWIR lens assembly. These cameras are using for a broad range of applications including commercial and military aerospace, defence, industry, life sciences, and scientific research. The QVGA camera will be displayed with a laser bean to demonstrate the high dynamic range of the camera. In addition a number of industrial cameras, lenses, lighting and other accessories will be on show.
AP Technologies
AP Technologies will exhibit LC-Tec Display’s range of liquid crystal optical technologies, including fast optical shutters (FOS), fast polarisation modulators (FPM), variable polarisation rotators (VPR), and variable neutral density filters.
Liquid crystal-based optical components enable intensity modulation and polarisation control of transmitted light by simply adjusting the voltage of an applied electric field. LC-based components offer fast switching, small footprint, and extremely reliable operation, making them suited for image quality enhancement in machine vision applications.
Liquid crystal shutters with 30µs closing times are ideal for high speed camera applications at 540fps, while the high contrast (120k:1) version is used in laser welding and cutting monitoring systems. Polarisation imaging systems can be greatly simplified, reducing cost and size by replacing multiple cameras with a single camera and an LC polarisation controller.
New for 2017, AP Technologies will be introducing flexible variable neutral density filter technology designed for smart eyewear and augmented reality applications.
Casix
Casix will be displaying its aspheric lenses for imaging applications. With the prevalence of new large area sensors and the drive for increased optical performance, the need for bespoke precision optics is increasing in the vision market. Casix is a renowned manufacturer of precision coated aspherics for aberration reduction and will have examples on its booth at the show.
Casix has been manufacturing traditional spherical/cylindrical/toric coated optics in glass and other optical materials (including CaF2), with diameters from 3mm to 200mm, for the last 25 years. Working extensively in the surveying, cinematography and surveillance markets, Casix supplies high quality bespoke optics for demanding applications from its 27,500 m2 production facility staffed by 1,250 employees.
Laser 2000
Laser 2000 will have products by Osela and Ximea for machine vision applications on display. Osela manufactures laser illumination systems and structured lighting for industrial machine vision. With plug-and-play control, users will find it easy to configure an Osela system in minutes. As Osela systems can generate multiple laser lines at a range of angles, the user can tailor a solution for a given application.
Ximea scientific cameras are recommended for a range of embedded vision tasks. As they are light-weight, robust, and have a small footprint, the user will be able to integrate them into almost any optical system.
Laser Components
Laser Components will present a new generation of line laser modules for machine vision. The M18 threaded MV18 module is the latest addition to the MV series, while existing models like MVnano, MVpico and MVfemto have been re-engineered for better functionality and flexibility.
The models offer: a new focusing mechanism for stable beam positioning and low line positioning drift; new focusing options to match line thickness and depth of focus; COS4 correction for homogenous line performance in applications with a wide field of view; low-priced fixed focus variants; space-saving versions with separated optics and electronics; optics-only versions for integration in camera systems; and versions with integrated microcontrollers and a serial interface.
Pro-Lite Technology
Pro-Lite Technology will be displaying the high-performance Hyspex hyperspectral imaging systems from Norsk Elektro Optikk used in a multitude of applications including airborne, laboratory, field and industrial imaging spectroscopy. The display will also include other hyperspectral technology including the real-time, snapshot hyperspectral imagers from Cubert.
Pro-Lite will also show Labsphere uniform light sources and diffuse reflectance targets used for advanced camera and image sensor calibration. The accelerating pace of imaging and sensor technologies demand more sophisticated metrology. To meet these new demands Labsphere’s camera characterisation systems, such as the CCS, Helios and Colosus, include tuneable light engines that can provide user-defined and industry standard spectra for uniformly illuminating image sensors.
