Compact Single-Board Vision Systems Create Smart Cameras For Many OEM Tasks

Aug. 20, 2001

The models in a new line of single-board industrial machine-vision products from Vision Components feature a remote sensing head configuration that lets designers use smart cameras in equipment or environments where space is at a premium....

Roger Allan

When coupled with the available development software from Analog Devices and the available VCLIB image-processing library from Vision Components, these systems suit a variety of OEM needs, including inspection, orientation, and recognition tasks. Measuring 120 by 70 by 18 mm, the single-board devices work with standard industrial C-mount lenses as well as with fixed focal-length 12-mm lenses.

The VCSBC13 and VCSBC11 models both have an interlaced, CCIR video signal output and work from a 12-V power supply. They feature 500 by 582 pixels and 740 by 580 pixels of resolution, respectively. Each has 2 Mbytes of RAM and 512 kbytes of flash EPROM.

The VCSBC38 is available with either a 12- or a 24-V power supply. It features 640- by 480-pixel resolution, progressive scan image capture, instant triggering, an SVGA video signal output, full-frame integration, an electronic shutter, and vertical resets and restarts. Also, it holds 8 Mbytes of RAM and 2 Mbytes of flash EPROM.

Pricing for the VCSBC13 is $589. The VCSBC11 is $668. And, the VCSBC38 is $1506. Prices are adjusted accordingly when purchased in volume.

Vision Components, 67 South Bedford St., Ste. 400W, Burlington, MA 01803; (781) 229-5842; www.vision-comp.com. Outside the U.S., contact Vision Components GmbH, Michael Schaefer, Ottostrasse 2, D-76275 Ettlingen, Germany; +49 (0)721 2167-0; www.vision-comp.de.

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.