Machine Vision

 

The wait is over! The 18 Gigabit Ethernet cameras in the Basler scout family are available now. Gigabit Ethernet has become a synonym for the new interface technology used in machine vision systems and in related industries like intelligent traffic systems and medical imaging. High bandwidth, long cable lengths, and wide usage in the consumer and industrial markets are crucial elements for the predicted success of Gigabit Ethernet in vision applications.

Basler scout Gigabit Ethernet cameras offer the following benefits:

	Up to 100 meter cable lengths supported by Gigabit Ethernet give you the highest flexibility
	Up to 12 bit pixel depths and no bandwidth limitation on 8 bit data flow inside the camera
	High bandwidth of up to 100 Mb/s
	Free drivers for FireWire and Gigabit Ethernet (GigE Vision)
	Commonly available cables, network devices, and adapter cards
	Easy integration
	No need for a frame grabber

Because Gigabit Ethernet breaks the bandwidth barrier that was set by FireWire, switching from Camera Link to Gigabit Ethernet will now be attractive for a variety of customers. Another clear advantage is a quantifiable reduction in the cost of a total vision solution because a frame grabber is no longer required. No less important is the 100 meter cable lengths offered by Gigabit Ethernet. These expanded capabilities open exciting new possibilities for vision system design and break through existing limitations to reach a new level that is especially beneficial for factory floor applications.

Until now, Gigabit Ethernet in machine vision and related industries has been defined by only the physical implementation of an interface, such as cables and connectors. For the machine vision industry, the logical implementation of an interface is far more important and is the premise that makes Gigabit Ethernet applicable to vision systems. This means that standard definitions of real-time capability, error handling procedures, and secure image transfer (no image loss) methods are an absolute necessity.

Only a well defined combination of the physical and logical implementation of Gigabit Ethernet can meet the challenging demands of the machine vision and related industries. To achieve this goal, an AIA committee is working on the standardization of Gigabit Ethernet for vision applications. Basler has pushed this effort forward by contributing personnel and technical know-how to realize a standardized interface for the vision industry that defines both the physical and the logical implementation. This standard is known as GigE Vision.

The scout GigE Camera Series

This new camera family follows Basler's very successful A600 series and marks the next milestone in the digital industrial camera business. With its especially attractive price positioning and increased performance, the Basler scout series will accelerate the "analog to digital trend" in the industrial camera marketplace. The scA750-60gm, for example, starts with a list price of 599 € and will make digital cameras very attractive for analog users.

All together, Basler will offer 18 scout Gigabit Ethernet camera models. One available model will be the scA1400-17gm/gc with a Gigabit Ethernet interface. Equipped with Sony’s ICX285 CCD sensor, this new camera's 1.45 megapixel resolution, excellent image quality, high sensitivity, and low noise make it a convincing choice.

The scA640-70gm/gc is based on a Sony CCD sensor and offers a very cost-effective camera for analog to digital conversion. With its fast image acquisition rate of up to 70 frames per second, this camera model is ideal for use in industrial production processes such as online failure detection in production and quality control.

The scA1000-30gm/gc is also aimed at users switching from analog to digital solutions. With a 1034 x 779 resolution and a 30 frames per second acquisition rate, even fast production processes can be controlled by this camera. The scA1000-20gm/gc has the same resolution and a maximum speed of 20 frames per second for even more sensitivity.

Like the existing Basler A311 cameras, the scA640-74gm/gc is equipped with Sony’s ICX414 CCD sensor and offers the best image quality and high sensitivity. The scA640-74gm/gc camera will win over users with an acquisition rate of up to 74 frames per second. This camera model is ideal for use in industrial production process control, even in the most demanding environments. Its low noise level also makes the scA640-74 gm/gc a great fit for use in medical and diagnostic imaging applications.

Using the scA1390-17gm/gc gives you a camera with a very low noise level and good sensitivity at the popular resolution of 1392 x 1040 pixels. In that resolution class, the scA1390-17gm/gc offers a very attractive price.

If you require 2 megapixel resolution, the scA1600-14gm/gc will meet your needs. This camera delivers 14 frames per second and its low noise level also makes the scA1600-14 gm/gc a great fit for use in medical and diagnostic imaging applications.

The innovative hardware and software designs for the Basler scout family were specifically selected to remain relevant into the future. One example of this is that all Basler scout models are compliant with the GenICam standard. GenICam offers a software interface that is independent from camera hardware. This standardized software interface allows easy integration of different camera models, increases user efficiency, and saves time and money.

Another new technology incorporated into the Basler scout is the GigE Vision standard. GigE vision standardizes the use of a Gigabit Ethernet network for machine vision applications. With GigE Vision, longer cable lengths are easy and cost-effective to realize. With a data rate of up to 100 MB/s, GigE Vision allows a move away from more expensive Camera Link solutions and eliminates the need for a frame grabber.

The scout series marks the standard performance class for digital cameras. Basler VC will be using our new platform concept used for the scout to develop even more cameras and these cameras will be in a higher performance class. Starting in November 2006, Basler VC will introduce a new family of cameras based on high-performance sensors from Kodak. This new product line will be known as the Basler pioneer family. The common platform for Basler scout and Basler pioneer will let users combine as many different models as they desire without changing their software applications. This provides the highest flexibility and lets Basler camera users react to customer demands more quickly and with less effort.

Please feel free to download our scout brochure or our pioneer brochure.