Smart cameras of the next generation

Innovative and High-Performance Camera Technology from Leuze electronic

With the new LSIS 400i smart camera, Leuze electronic has developed a new, high-performance smart camera series characterized by unique features such as webConfig, motor-driven focus adjustment, homogeneous light design and a particularly powerful BLOB analysis. These features simplify integration for the user, offer flexibility in the application, a wide usage spectrum as well as high process reliability.

Industrial image processing is used in the areas of quality assurance, object detection and position determination, for identification or for production process monitoring. Here, so-called smart cameras are fast and flexible solutions. They are powerful and can be integrated quickly and at low cost. In this market segment, the new LSIS 400i series developed by Leuze electronic represents the smart camera of the next generation.

Full of innovation

In the focus of image processing applications are topics such as illumination, flexibility during camera adjustment and the costs associated with integration. This includes mounting and alignment options as well as easy operation. Illumination, because it is a decisive performance-determining factor, is, thus, among the most important qualitative features of such systems. Instead of using conventional LEDs, Leuze electronic developed a new, innovative illumination system with special optics. It consists of eight rectangular segments fitted with precisely calculated, free-form shapes. As a result, each of the segments generates an extremely homogeneous, rectangular light pattern that is particularly intense in the range from 50 to 250 mm.

The illumination, like the camera technology, is enclosed in a robust metal housing and is protected by a glass window that is sealed airtight in accordance with protection class IP 65. The smart camera is equipped with a motor-driven focus adjustment that saves the user the need to manually set the focus on lot changes with different object distances. New test programs are loaded with the respective focus setting for the given camera distance, and the corresponding focus position is set by means of the motor-driven focus adjustment. An innovation that facilitates reproducible adjustments as well as improvements in quality and, particularly in applications with restricted installation space, one that results in a noticeable simplification.

Another new feature, and one that considerably eases use of the smart camera system, is the integrated webConfig configuration interface. The configuration software, developed by Leuze and first used in the BCL 500i barcode readers, enables device configuration directly via a web browser. With the LSIS 400i, however, performance goes greatly beyond that of a "configuration tool". Here, the entire image processing software is integrated in the device. Fast and easy access to the device via an Ethernet interface ensures easy integration. The software does not need to be installed on the user's PC. It is 'on board', and can be accessed with a web browser. Should servicing be necessary, this means that all settings as well as an online help system, are available on-site in the device - at all times and wherever it may be located.

With Leuze BLOB

A decisive portion of the outstanding performance of the new LSIS 400i series lies with the BLOB (Binary Large OBject) analysis implemented by Leuze electronic. It is able to check considerably more characteristics than standard systems. For example, the ratio between area and circumference of a BLOB can be used to determine a shape factor that classifies its geometric shape. Furthermore, by checking the major and minor axes of a BLOB, the rotational position of an object can be determined. With this extremely high-performance BLOB analysis , the new generation of smart cameras can simply and reliably perform a wide range of tasks in completeness and presence inspections as well as in position detection. At the same time, outstanding innovations, such as the illumination system developed by Leuze electronic or motor-driven focus adjustment, satisfy the highest demands in reliability, efficiency and flexibility. With the integrated webConfig configuration interface, the new LSIS 400i smart camera is easy to implement and simple to operate.