What Is an Industrial Camera?
An industrial camera is used in factories or for security purposes. There are two main types: monitoring cameras and machine vision cameras. Monitoring cameras, often used for surveillance, are connected to a monitor for visual observation. This category includes cameras used for digital microscopes. Machine vision cameras, integrated into manufacturing processes, process image data for automatic inspections.
Uses of Industrial Cameras
Monitoring industrial cameras are used in security cameras, surveillance cameras, in-vehicle recorders, and digital microscopes. These cameras are also commonly installed in ATMs and cash registers. On the other hand, machine vision industrial cameras are primarily used in manufacturing processes for inspection systems, where they automate the analysis of captured images.
These applications include defect and foreign matter inspection, criteria determination for liquid container filling, barcode reading, character recognition, and other uses in the automotive, medical, electrical, electronic, logistics, and printing fields.
Principle of Industrial Cameras
Industrial cameras consist of a lens and a body, similar to digital cameras. Light entering through the lens is converted into digital data by an image sensor in the body. These sensors can detect visible light, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-rays. Their performance varies based on size, pixel count, and scanning method.
How to Select an Industrial Camera
When selecting an industrial camera, consider its specific applications and minimum performance requirements. Key considerations include:
1. Need to Capture Entire Surface
There are two types of industrial cameras: area cameras and line sensor cameras. Line sensor cameras, with a single row of elements, can capture an entire product by moving it, ideal for cylindrical or flat objects. For line monitoring and inspection, line sensor cameras can be sufficient.
2. Image Requirements
The choice of camera depends on the needed color information, resolution, and acquisition speed. Monochrome cameras suffice for shape detection. Higher resolution increases cost and data volume, which should match the inspection throughput.
3. Interface
Consider how images and videos will be captured. Common interfaces include USB, CameraLink, and Gigabit Ethernet, each with different transfer rates and cable length limitations.
Other Information on Industrial Cameras
Differences in Image Sensor Scanning Methods
There are two scanning methods: interlaced and progressive. Interlaced, which alternates between even and odd lines, suits monitoring purposes like surveillance cameras for smooth motion depiction. Progressive scanning, displaying all lines simultaneously, is better for capturing moments and is used in machine vision in manufacturing.