High-Speed Process Tracking with X.Lite ProCap and Basler ace USB 3.0
Precise monitoring and analysis of industrial processes using the PYTHON 300 sensor
- Customer
- Hefel Technology – Hefel Hubert GmbH
- Location
- Dornbirn, Austria
- Date
- 2016
Hefel Technik uses X.Lite ProCap, a proprietary solution it developed for high-speed process tracking in automation systems. The current version 4.0 utilizes the high-performance Basler ace USB 3.0 camera with a PYTHON 300 CMOS sensor, enabling up to 3,000 frames per second. Using modern interfaces, optimized storage processes, and intuitive operation, the system offers maximum flexibility and easy integration into a wide variety of production environments.
X.Lite ProCap 4.0: high-speed process tracking
X.Lite ProCap is a proprietary development by the company, with simplicity and ease of use always at the forefront. The system is designed for high-speed process tracking in automation systems, mass production, process analysis, and laboratories. The basic version was first introduced to the market in 2012 and has since been further developed and continuously optimized in close collaboration with users. Many years of experience in automation technology were incorporated into the developmentThe system features modern interfaces to various PLC manufacturers, enabling product automation.
Technological advancements and new features
Version 4.0 of the high-speed process tracking system has been available since September 2017. It offers valuable new features thanks to the Basler ace USB 3.0 camera integrated in 2016 and takes advantage of the modern CMOS technology of the PYTHON 300 sensor from onsemi.
High-performance image acquisition thanks to the Basler ace camera
With the highly dynamic and advanced PYTHON CMOS sensor in the Basler ace USB 3.0 camera, ProCap can capture up to 3,000 frames per second in grayscale and, optionally, in color.
Camera models used in this solution:
Improved software management and new storage features
Compared to previous versions, the current version 4.0 offers several improvements for ease of use and an optimized saving process.
In particular, the new recording mode for SSDs now allows for much longer recordings and makes data archiving significantly easier.
The hard drive doesn't necessarily have to be installed in the laptop; it can also be connected to an available USB 3.0 port. This allows you to take advantage of the camera's nearly full frame rate.
Smart additional features and user-friendly operation
Smart additional features, such as adjustable trigger modes, make it easier to detect very rare faults and significantly reduce the effort required for troubleshooting in production facilities.
With the new version, automated recordings can be timed with greater precision. This allows users to precisely adjust the start time of a recording to align with the trigger signal. Additionally, users with different system configurations can save connection and variable data by entering the respective machine name. The comparison mode allows four recordings to be played back simultaneously and compared and analyzed step by step in a single-step mode to identify any deviations.
Last but not least, the X.Lite ProCap stands out for its easy &plug-and-play setup and intuitive software interface.
With the release of the then-new PYTHON chips, new possibilities also arose for our USB 3.0 system, X.Lite ProCap, in terms of frame rate. We therefore set out to find a solution and, in collaboration with RAUSCHER, identified a suitable model in Basler’s ace series. Integrating the USB 3.0 camera into our software was quite straightforward. In addition to the technical capabilities of the ace cameras, the availability of multiple camera interfaces was important to us. We now use the USB 3.0 cameras for high-speed applications and the GigE cameras for optical quality control.
About Hefel Technik
Hefel Technik, a customer of Basler’s distribution partner RAUSCHER GmbH, was founded in 1985 as a garage-based business headquartered in Dornbirn, Austria. Since then, the company has firmly established itself as a full-service provider of components and system solutions in the fields of pneumatics, hydraulics, electric drives, and industrial image processing.