IPD Vision Appliances

VA2x, VA3x Dual Camera Vision Appliance
VA1x Single Camera Vision Appliance Users Reference Manual
405-00020-00 Revision March 2010
VA2x, VA3x Dual Camera Vision Appliance and VA1x Single Camera Vision Appliance Users Reference Manual Document Number 405-00020-00 Rev 08; 11 March 2010 CopyrightE20102007 DALSA Corporation CopyrightE2006 Coreco Imaging, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
All copyrights in this manual, and the hardware and software described in it, are the exclusive property of DALSA Corporation and its licensors. Claim of copyright does not imply waiver of DALSA Corporation or its licensors other rights in the work. See the following Notice of Proprietary Rights. NOTICE OF PROPRIETARY RIGHTS This manual and the related hardware and software are confidential trade secrets and the property of DALSA Corporation and its licensors. Use, examination, reproduction, copying, transfer and/or disclosure to others of all or any part of this manual and the related documentation are prohibited except with the express written consent of DALSA Corporation. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. DALSA Corporation makes no representations or warranties with respect to the contents of this manual and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. DALSA Corporation assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in this document.
iNspect, iLabel, and the DALSA logo are trademarks of DALSA Corporation. Camera Configurator and Sherlock are registered trademarks of DALSA Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
DALSA IPD Email: info.ipd@dalsa.com http://www.dalsa.com/ipd IPD Headquarters 700 Technology Park Drive Billerica, MA, USA 01821 Tel 1.978.670.2002 Fax 1.978.670.2010

405-00020-00

VA1x/VA2x/VA3x Users Reference

Certifications

FCC Compliance Statement
This product has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and may cause harmful interference to radio communication.
European Declaration of Conformity
This product has been tested to comply with the EC Directive for a class B digital device. It has been tested and found to comply with EN55022/CISPR22.

CFR 21 Part 11

This product provides the tools needed for users to implement an auditing program that could be in compliance with CFR 21 Part 11. These tools include: System or software backup and restore VA15, VA20, VA30 System software security (password loging and access limits) iNspect and Sherlock software Protection of system backup files from modification VA15, VA20, VA30 Record of actions by users with time stamp information iNspect software Time stamp information on data output iNspect and Sherlock software

Rev 08; 11 March 2010

Handling and Operating Precautions
Care should always be exercised when handling and operating your Vision Appliance system. Even though the system is encased within a rugged, industrial enclosure, incorrect use or handling can result in damage to your investment. To prevent this, we recommend you avoid the following: Hot-plugging cables and devices. Be sure to shut the system down and remove power before connecting or disconnecting anything to it. Free-standing operation. Whenever possible, we advise mounting the system to prevent it from falling accidentally. DIN-rail mounting hardware is provided. Pulling power while operating. Whenever possible, gracefully shut down the system if at any time you need to remove power. Operating the system in a hazardous environment. The system is not NEMA rated.

ElectroStatic Discharge

Avoid the damage that ESD can cause. Never expose the internal electronics to a potentially hazardous environment by opening the enclosure. Doing so may cause serious damage.

User Service Warning

This product has no field-replaceable components. Tampering with the unit will void the product warranty.

Warranty

DALSA warrants the Vision Appliance against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of delivery. DALSA and its representatives expressly disclaim any and all other warranties. Your sole remedy shall be repair or replacement of the Vision Appliance product and associated optional components, provided that the defective product is returned within the warranty period. If you need to return the system, you must contact the DALSA representative who sold you the system. Do not return your product to DALSA without authorization. DALSA assumes no liability for damages resulting from the use of this manual.

Table of Contents

Certifications. FCC Compliance Statement. European Declaration of Conformity. CFR 21 Part 11. Handling and Operating Precautions. ElectroStatic Discharge. User Service Warning. Warranty. 1. Introduction. Overview. About This Manual. 2. Before You Begin. Product Verification. Environmental Requirements. 3. Support and Maintenance. Support. Documentation. DALSA/IPD Website. Factory Support. Maintenance. 4. Product Overview. Product Description. Typical Applications. 5. Installation. Pre-Installation Checks. Installing the Hardware. Interface Specifications. Camera (Video) Connections. TM Camera Cable. Camera Switches. Network Connection. Serial Port Connection. Status LEDs.
I/O Connections. Inputs. Solution Switching Using I/O. Outputs. I/O Definitions. System Status LED Indicators. Verify Installation and Begin. Troubleshooting. Mounting Options. Vision Appliance Chassis. Cameras. Modifying the VA15, VA20, VA30 Appliance Address. Local PC Setup. Changing the Appliance IP Address. Internet Explorer Setup. Changing the VA21, VA31 IP Address. Camera Configuration. VA15/VA20/VA30. VA21/VA31. iNspect/iLabel. Sherlock. Software Upgrades VA15, VA20, VA30 only. Software Backup. Software Restore. Software Upgrades VA21, VA31, VA4x, VA6x, PC. Appendix A. Connector Pinouts. Camera Connectors. Power Connections. Input Connector. Output and Power Connector. Display (VGA) Connector. Serial Port Connector. USB Connectors. Ethernet Connector. Appendix B. Staging and Presentation. An Example.

About This Manual

This manual will assist you with the installation and setup of your Vision Appliance and the inspection software. It describes what the product supports and how to connect the external interfaces. In most instances, VA1x/VA2x/VA3x or Vision Appliance will mean the whole product line, including the VA15, VA20, VA21, VA30 and VA31. When a description applies to only one or more specific models, the names will be in Bold: VA15, VA20, VA21, VA30, VA31, VA15/20/30 or VA21&VA31. If your Vision Appliance questions are not answered in this reference, please contact your local DALSA representative who will be happy to answer or direct your question to the appropriate factory resource. In the unlikely event of failure, the warranty and return information is included in Section 3, starting on page 4.
The vertical bars are change bars and mark additions or changes from the previous version of this manual.
2. BEFORE YOU BEGIN Product Verification
Before getting started, please take a few minutes to verify that your shipment is complete and in good condition. If your product has been visibly damaged during shipment or is missing parts, please contact your local DALSA representative immediately.
Environmental Requirements
For reliable operation, this product should be operated within the following environmental conditions: Stable ambient temperature from 10C to 45C Relative humidity to 90% non-condensing Stable ambient lighting No excessive vibration or mechanical shock No contact with corrosive agents No liquid splash Dust and dirt controlled (regular maintenance checks)
3. SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE Support
DALSA provides the following support resources:

Documentation

In addition to this manual, the following information ships with the product: Online help fingertip help is available on every screen (panel) of the User Interface.

DALSA/IPD Website

Our www.dalsa.com/ipd website is updated regularly with the latest information.

Factory Support

Call, fax, or email your local representative, or the DALSA IPD Headquarters, for product support. DALSA IPD 700 Technology Park Drive Billerica, MA 01821 Main Number: +1.978.670.2002 FAX: +1.978.670.2010 Email: support.ipd@dalsa.com Internet: http://www.dalsa.com/ipd
To assist our staff in supporting you better, please have the following information available: 1. Name of DALSA/IPD representative who sold you the product. 2. Serial number of the unit. 3. Description of how the product is being used (application and environment). 4. Description of the problem and what you were doing when the problem occurred. 5. Exact wording of any error or warning messages that the product displayed. 6. What you have done to try and solve it.

Typical Applications

The Vision Appliance can be applied to solve a diverse range of manufacturing problems across a multitude of industries. Typical applications include: Detect missing or incorrect components in a package or assembly Verify precision measurements Inspect front and back surfaces simultaneously (not VA15 single camera appliance) Track or verify products barcode or 2D matrix Read and verify characters (OCR) Align PCBs locate and report position of multiple fiducials Locate and count objects Verify label position, fill level, cap and safety seal on bottles Check for surface defects
5. INSTALLATION Pre-Installation Checks
1. Read the handling and operating precautions in Section 2. 2. Check that all essential components are present: a. The VA1x/VA2x/VA3x unit b. Monitor, keyboard and mouse (only required for local setup using the VA21 or VA31) c. Camera(s) and associated cable(s) d. C-Mount Lens for each camera e. 24 VDC power supply with a minimum 1.5 A output f. Light Source, cable and power supply if necessary g. Sensor trigger and cable (if required) h. Decision trigger and cable (if required)

Installing the Hardware

Software configuration differs according to which version of the VA1x/VA2x/VA3x you have purchased. The standard version, VA15, VA20 & VA30 is accessed and setup through the Ethernet port using the Microsoft web browser. In this mode, the VA15, VA20 & VA30 acts like a true appliance, serving the application to the laptop or connecting PC. This method of access eliminates any software version control problems because the application is resident on the hardware. The VA21 & VA31 provides a similar remote access capability, but also allows you to access and set up the unit locally using keyboard, mouse and monitor. This is good for users that dont have access to a network or laptop computer. The following installation guideline applies to both hardware versions: 1. Mount the Camera(s) and Vision Appliance Chassis in a location free from excessive shock, moisture, and vibration. The Vision Appliance comes with a standard DIN rail mount. You can optionally remove these brackets and use your own custom mounting hardware. A drawing of the camera mounting locations is included on page 27. Tripod adapters are also available for the cameras. 2. Connect a standard Monitor (1024 x 768 resolution preferred) to the Monitor connector. 3. Connect a mouse and keyboard, using either USB connectors. This is only relevant on the VA21 and VA31 models.

see below 12 pins

VA1x/VA2x/VA3x Users Reference Pin 1

15 pins

Figure 2. TM Camera Cable
Part Number A-CAB-NSII-C30 A-CAB-NSII-C31 A-CAB-NSII-C32
Cable Length 3 meters 5 meters 10 meters

Camera Switches

The settings of the switches on the back of the cameras should not be changed. For reference only: TM1 switches 1, 6, and 10 are ON, all other switches are Off. TM2 switches 2, 7, and 10 are ON, all other switches are Off. SM2 switches 1 through 7, 9 and 10 are Off, 8 is ON; 75 is Off, HD/VD set to EXT. DM1024 switches 5, 6, and 10 are ON all other switches are Off.

Network Connection

If your system is to be connected to a LAN (Local Area Network), connect a network cable to the RJ45 Ethernet jack. The Vision Appliance supports Gigabit Ethernet (1000 BaseT) Fast Ethernet (100 BaseT) and Twisted Pair Ethernet (10 BaseT). If you plan to use Gigabit or Fast Ethernet, use a Category 5 (UTP5) cable. If the Vision Appliance is part of a peer-to-peer configuration (for example, connected directly to a PC, without a Network) you will need to use a special crossover cable to connect to the second device. A crossover cable is available optionally from DALSA IPD, or at any computer supply store. The Vision Appliance is factory configured with a Static (fixed) IP Address of 192.168.0.100. This may not be compatible with your PC or Network, and you may have to change it, or have your network administrator change it. Step-by-step directions are included in this manual.

Serial Port Connection

The Vision Appliance has one RS-232 compliant serial port. The serial port is typically used for passing results to a third party device, such as a PLC.

Status LEDs

The Vision Appliance provides 26 LEDs on the interface panel as visual health and status indicators (see Figure 1).

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A RESET function is available on the Input I/O connector. When activated, the system will reboot. The Reset LED should come on at the start of the Reset operation, and then go off. If the LED remains on, the unit has not exited the Reset condition. The Green LED beside +24V indicates CPU health or status. When the CPU is booting, this LED should flash, and LED1 and LED2 should turn on and stay on (indicating the FPGA has loaded correctly) until a program or application (iLabel or iNspect) changes their behavior. The VA15, VA20 & VA30 launches iNspect or iLabel after booting. The VA21 & VA31 boots to a Windows desktop, and the CPU Health LED remains flashing. As the (iNspect or iLabel) application opens, two of the LEDs start flashing. These are the Heartbeat (LED1) and End-of-Acquire (LED2) status. The Heartbeat has a 2 second cycle, at 50% duty. The End-of-Acquire cycle depends on the timer or external trigger. For more information on LED status operation please refer to page 24.

PNP Configuration

NPN Configuration

COM + Load OUT VAV

Figure 6. Output Configurations

I/O Definitions

TRIG TRIGGER INPUT An input from an external device, such as a photoeye, that is used to signal the Vision Appliance to acquire an image. Since the input is edge sensitive, the minimum pulse width is determined by the minimum input transition time, of 1 us. SLN[0:2] INPUTS The Solution inputs are sampled when the ACC input is strobed to dynamically select a solution (job) file to run. These inputs are level sensitive and require a 1 ms setup and hold time relative to the leading edge of the ACC pulse. ACC INPUT An input that is used to switch the solution file as determined by the SOLN inputs. It is a high going pulse of minimum duration 1 ms. IN[0:3] General purpose inputs that can be used as inspection qualifiers or controls by the application software. IN0 is the iNspect/iLabel decision trigger/sensor input, if enabled. STB STROBE OUTPUT An output that, when enabled, generates a pulse after receiving an inspection TRIGGER input. The STROBE offset and duration are programmable. The STROBE pulse is used to briefly turn on (strobe) a light for the purpose of freezing a part in motion, eliminating motion blur. PASS The PASS output is a general purpose output with special function in iNspect and iLabel. When an inspection passes, a pulse is generated on this output of user-defined length and polarity. Depending upon the operational mode of the software, this is either a software or hardware controlled pulse. The hardware pulse is output when the Vision Appliance is emulating a PLC to direct parts appropriately following inspections. This is general purpose output 0 in Sherlock. FAIL The FAIL output is a general purpose output with special function in iNspect and iLabel. When an inspection fails, a pulse is generated on this output of user-defined length and polarity. Depending upon the operational mode of the software, this is either a software or hardware controlled pulse. The hardware pulse is output when the Vision Appliance is emulating a PLC to direct parts appropriately following inspections. This is general purpose output 1 in Sherlock.
RECYCLE The RECYCLE output is a general purpose output with special function in iNspect and iLabel. When an inspection meets the recycle criteria, a pulse is generated on this output of user-defined length and polarity. Depending upon the operational mode of the software, this is either a software or hardware controlled pulse. The hardware pulse is output when the Vision Appliance is emulating a PLC to direct parts appropriately following inspections. This is general purpose output 2 in Sherlock. OUT[0:3] General purpose outputs that can be configured to output voltage levels or pulses based on userdefined criteria. Outputs 03 in iNspect and iLabel, outputs 36 in Sherlock.

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change the address. Reboot takes 1 minute. In the future, you would use your new IP Address for this reset command, not the factory address. 8. Repeat steps 2 through 3 to change your PC back to its original address settings. 9. Attach your PC to the network cable, and reboot the PC. NOTE After making changes to the Device Setup page, you must click Ok to accept your changes, and then Reboot the Appliance.
Figure 13. Device Setup Page
If you incorrectly set, or forget, your network ID or IP Address, connect a monitor to the Vision Appliance. The IP Address and port number are displayed on the monitor; for example, Server address: 192.168.0.100.5005. The IP Address is 192.168.0.100 and the port number is 5005.

Internet Explorer Setup

10. Open Internet Explorer. Pull down the Tools menu, and select Internet Options.
11. Click on the Connections tab at the top of the Internet Options window. 12. Click on the LAN Settings button. 13. If the check box under Proxy Server is empty, click Cancel. Click OK to close the Internet Options, and proceed to setting up the inspection. 14. If the check box under Proxy Server is checked, click on the Advanced button. 15. In the field under Exceptions enter the IP Address of your Vision Appliance(s). Click OK to exit Proxy Settings. Click OK to exit LAN Settings. Click OK to exit Internet Options.
Changing the VA21, VA31 IP Address
The VA21 & VA31 Vision Appliance boots to the Windows desktop. 1. Open the TCP/IP Protocol Properties: Windows XP a. go to: Start Settings Network Connections b. double-click on Local Area Connection d. in the Local Area Connection Status window, click on the General tab e. click on the Properties button f. in the Local Area Connection Properties window, click on the General tab g. click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on the Properties button. 2. If you have a DHCP server, click on Obtain an IP address automatically. Or, if you need to use a Static Address you can change the value beside IP Address. The new address must be compatible. The first three fields (192.168.0.) define the address neighborhood These should be the same as other equipment of PCs you are using. The last field (100) should be unique, or different from all other equipment, but a value near to the other equipment. The other addresses in this window do not need to be changed. 3. Click OK to close the window. You do not need to reboot.

Software Restore

A Restore loads a backup file, containing both the iNspect/iLabel Application and Solutions. Password, Language selection, IP Address and Network settings are not saved to the backup file. All Solutions saved on the Appliance are deleted before the restore begins. To restore a backup: a. Close the iNspect application window (client) if open. b. On the Vision Appliance home page, click on Upgrade. c. Select the Restore option on the Upgrade page, and use the Browse button to find the backup file. d. Click on the Restore button. e. After the backup file has been copied, you will be prompted to reboot the Appliance. Click Ok, and remove power to the Appliance. f. Close your Internet Explorer. Do not try to go to the Appliance home page, it will not respond. g. Reconnect power to the Vision Appliance. This forces the FPGA to reload from your backup file. h. Run the iAssistant program from your desktop (Start > Run > iAssistant) found in directory: \WINNT\System32 (Windows 2000 and NT), or in \Windows\System32 (XP). i. Click on Clean This process will remove old files from your local PC. j. Click on Close to exit iAssistant. k. Open Internet Explorer. Navigate to the Appliance home page. You can use the History drop-list feature of the Address Bar to enter the Appliance IP Address. l. Click on iNspect. The appliance will copy a new version of the OCX and support files to your PC.
Software Upgrades VA21, VA31
1. Download the new software version. 2. Use Add/Remove programs to uninstall the previous version from your Vision Appliance or PC. 3. Reboot after the uninstall is complete. (you must reboot before installing new software). 4. Remove any remaining files from the old version (in C:\iNspect or D:\iNspect). 5. Doubleclick on setup.exe in the new software folder.

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APPENDIX A CONNECTOR PINOUTS
This section provides the connector pinout information for each of the external interfaces.

Camera Connectors

Cameras interface through 15-pin D-Sub connectors on the front panel. VA2x/VA3x supports simultaneous capture and processing from 2 monochrome cameras. VA15 supports one camera. NOTE: Each D-Sub cable can supply up to 0.5 A at +12 Volts from chassis power.

Video Connector Pinout

Pin 3 4, 5 6,7,14 15
Name NC Video NC DGND AGND Camera TRIG DGND RX TX HD VD Power

Display (VGA) Connector

A standard 15-pin female D-Sub connector provides for VGA Display. See Figure 19.

Display Pinout

Pin 14 15
Name RED GREEN BLUE NC GND +5V GND NC SDA HS VS SCL
Direction Out Out Out Out I/O Out Out I/O
Description Red Green Blue not connected Ground +5 V Ground not connected Serial data Horizontal Sync Vertical Sync Serial data clock

Serial Port Connector

A standard 9-pin male D-Sub connector provides for serial port I/O. See Figure 19.

Serial Pinout

Name DCD RXD TXD DTR GND DTS RTS CTS RI VGA
Direction In In Out In Out Out In In
Description Data Carrier Detect Receive Data Transmit Data Data Terminal Ready Ground Data Set Ready Request to Send Clear to send Ring Indicator SERIAL
Figure 19. Display and Serial Port Connectors

USB Connectors

The two USB 1.1 connectors are identical, rectangular type-A, 4-pin sockets.

USB Pinout

Pin 3 4

Name VCC DATA DATA+ GND

Direction Out I/O I/O
Description Power, +5 V (1 A max) Data Data+ Ground

Ethernet Connector

The Ethernet RJ-45 connector is an 8-pin male connector.

Ethernet Pinout

Pin 6 78

Name TD+ TD RD+ NC RD NC

Direction Out Out In In
Description Transmit Data+ Transmit Data Receive Data+ not connected Receive Data not connected
APPENDIX B STAGING AND PRESENTATION
To measure or inspect a part or object, it must be positioned so the camera can see it. Positioning, sometimes called staging, presentation, or fixturing, puts the part in the cameras field of view (FOV), signals the Vision Appliance that a part is available, and helps hold the part steady while an image is being taken. The camera is responsible for generating an electronic image of the part for processing by the Vision Appliance. The camera and lighting help with the part positioning because they are used to freeze or stop the motion of a moving part.

An Example

Figure 20 illustrates a bottle inspection line, seen from above. The bottles move along a conveyer belt, past the camera. The conveyer belt positions the bottle in front of the camera, so that the camera can capture an image of the threading on top of the bottles neck.

Bottle Line Movement

Camera Vision Appliance

L i g h t

PartinPlace Sensor Reject Defective Bottles
Good Bottles Figure 20. Bottle Inspection Line Rev 08; 11 March 2010 45
A diffuse, uniform light behind the threads gives a sharp, high-contrast image of the threads. The Vision Appliance inspects this image and signals a rejection kicker to move defective product off the production line.

Part-in-Place Sensor

In this example we have two problems because the parts (bottles) move. We first have to know when a bottle is in front of the camera so it can see the threads. One solution is to have the Vision Appliance look for the threads, and only take an inspection image when the thread is centered in the field of view. A simpler approach is to have a separate Part-in-Place (PiP) sensor that detects when the bottle is in the correct position. A PiP sensor allows the Appliance to work at higher part speeds. We have used inexpensive, PiP sensors from HTM Electronics Industries (http://www.htmsensors.com) and from Banner Engineering (www.bannerengineering.com).
Reducing Blurring Caused by Part Motion
The second problem is blurring caused by motion of the part. When the part is in place, the motion of the part must be frozen so that the image of the part is not blurred by the motion. Sometimes the part is stopped while a picture is taken. This is ideal for the best measurement accuracy. With continuous motion, as on a conveyer belt, we rely on the camera and lighting to freeze the motion. The camera used with the Vision Appliance has a programmable exposure time so you can set the part viewing time. Selecting the viewing time depends on the part speed, the amount of blurring due to motion that can be tolerated, and the amount of available light. The shorter the viewing time, the more light is needed to see the part. The camera also has an electronic shutter, but this is automatically adjusted for you. Assuming that only one part is in the field of view at a time, an estimate of the viewing time can be derived from the following equation: View Time in seconds = B/(P*I) where: B is the amount of blur you can tolerate (in pixels), P is the number of pixels per image (image size) in the direction of motion, I is the number of images taken per second, or the number of parts per second. For example, if the motion is horizontal with respect to the camera, and the picture size is 640 pixels per horizontal line, then P=640. If you are inspecting 5 parts per second (I=5), and can tolerate one pixel of blurring (B=1) then:

46 Rev 08; 11 March 2010

View Time = 1/(640*5) = 315 microseconds This is within the camera exposure range (and shutter speeds) but will require good illumination, perhaps by an LED strobe, because the exposure time is brief. You adjust the cameras exposure time using the Exposure Control slider on the Vision Appliances Sensor Setup screen. This slider can range from 0 (no exposure black screen) to 1023 (longest exposure) in steps of roughly 64 microseconds, starting at 1 = 32 microseconds. The exact times on this control are in increments of the RS-170 horizontal line time of 63.556 microseconds. In practice, you will adjust the exposure to balance good image contrast against visible blur due to part motion. Blurring of the image caused by the motion of the part (motion blur), even when not visible to the human eye looking at the camera image, will reduce the accuracy of measurements. Ideally, measurements should be performed on a part that is not moving, so there is no motion blur and so that a longer exposure (and smaller lens aperture) can be used.

Progressive Scan Cameras

In addition to programmable exposure, the camera is non-interlaced (usually called progressive scan). If you intend to use a different camera with your Vision Appliance, call ipd for supported cameras. Make sure that it is progressive scan, has an electronic shutter, and is compatible with the control signals, power, and cabling.

Strobe Lighting

A strobe light provides a brief, high-intensity pulse of light that can help reduce motion blur and still provide adequate illumination to the part being inspected. Traditional xenon strobe lights are bright and can be very short in duration, less than 100 microseconds, to freeze the part motion. Xenon strobes have substantial variability in intensity. This can create variations in the image quality, which could be mistaken for variation in the part quality. Xenon strobe lights are used only when there is no easier way to get short, high-intensity light. LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) can also be used as a strobe, and over-driven to give a short, bright pulse of light. Even with a strobe illumination source, you need a camera with an electronic shutter and exposure time to prevent ambient light from contaminating the image. The Vision Appliance has a dedicated I/O line for firing a fast strobe, because this must be done at a certain time after the exposure has been triggered. Longer duration light, for example LEDs again, can be controlled using a standard I/O line, and are turned on before the cameras exposure is triggered and turned off after the exposure is done. This minimizes the intensity variation on different exposures.

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Using Contact Closures
Mechanical contacts, such as switches or relays, typically exhibit bounce. The moving contact makes the electrical circuit by touching a fixed contact, but then bounces off this fixed contact. The result is a series of rapid closing and openings of the contact until the moving contact stops bouncing. Bouncing typically continues for less than 10 milliseconds, but the duration depends on mechanical factors of the switch. This oscilloscope trace shows about 5 ms (milliseconds) of bounce when a switch is closed:
Figure 21. Example of switch bounce during a contact closure
From Switch Bounce and Other Dirty Secrets, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Sept. 2000
The problem is, the Vision Appliance sees the bouncing as multiple, rapid input signals. For example, if your part in place sensor is a mechanical switch (say, a photocell running a relay), the contact bounce will make it appear as if many parts were being presented to the Vision Appliance in a few milliseconds. Here are three ways to deal with bounce. (1) Use a signal that does not bounce; for example, from a photoelectric sensor. (2) Use the built-in de-bouncing circuits. The de-bounce circuit delays the Appliance from responding to the input for some number of microseconds (us) to allow time for the contact to settle. The de-bounce time can be programmed through the camera configuration file. (3) Externally de-bounce the switch closure using commercial de-bounce chips (for example, the Maxim MAX6816), or a low-pass filter and Schmitt trigger. Both the Vision Appliance and external de-bounce circuits delay the input signal by the debounce period. This delay is rarely long enough to be a problem, but might have to be considered in very high-speed applications where any delay might mean the parts being inspected move partially out of the field of view.

Using Photo-Sensors

HTM Electronics Industries (http://www.htmsensors.com) and Banner Engineering Corp. (http://www.bannerengineering.com) and several other manufacturers make photoelectric sensors that do not require de-bouncing. The HTM Electronics MP-D0380D-CX9Q4UE infrared sensor, and the Banner Engineering R55F series photoelectric sensors and the SM312 LVAGMHSQD photoelectric sensor have been used successfully with the Vision Appliance. These sensors are rated to operate on 10 to 30 VDC; but do not exceed 24 VDC or you will damage the Vision Appliance. The following diagram shows how to connect these photoelectric sensors. The wiring is: Brown - Power (+16 to +24 Volts DC) Blue - Ground Black - Signal from photoelectric sensor. Goes high (to about the power voltage) when triggered. The other two wires are not needed for using the sensor with the Breakout Board. These two wires are: White - Signal from photoelectric sensor connects a small load to ground (see sensor specification) Gray - Can be connected to a switch to ground; when closed, enables Remote Teach The photoelectric sensor draws power from the brown and blue leads. When the photoelectric sensor is triggered the output (black lead) goes high (to about the power supply voltage).
Brown Blue Black Sensor Trigger (TRIG) or Decision Trigger (IN0) Sensor Unit
+ Power (1624 VDC) Ground
Figure 22. Photosensor Connections
APPENDIX C SHERLOCK DIGITAL I/O ASSIGNMENTS
The standard digtial I/O assignments are given in the following table. The Trigger input (TRG) and Strobe output (STRB) are not available to Sherlock for I/O. There are 7 outputs on the VA1x/ VA2x/VA3x; there is no Output Channel 7.
Default Digital I/O Definitions
I/O Connector Pin SLN0 SLN1 SLN2 ACC IN0 IN1 IN2 IN3 PASS FAIL REC OUT0 OUT1 OUT2 OUT3
Direction in in in in in in in in out out out out out out out
Sherlock Digital I/O Input Channel 0 Input Channel 1 Input Channel 2 Input Channel 3 Input Channel 4 Input Channel 5 Input Channel 6 Input Channel 7 Output Channel 0 Output Channel 1 Output Channel 2 Output Channel 3 Output Channel 4 Output Channel 5 Output Channel 6
NOTE: The Genie camera outputs may appear starting at output Channel 0, and renumber the output channels of the VA31.
APPENDIX D CAMERA EXPOSURE CONTROL
Cameras supplied by DALSA ipd are configured for Triggered Operation, and for Pulse Width Control (PWC or E-shutter) of the exposure. The camera takes a picture each time it receives a triggering signal (Frame Reset) from the Vision Appliance. The trigger signal is generated from an internal software trigger or from an external event (sensor, PLC, etc.) connected to the Vision Appliance. In iNspect and iLabel, the exposure is interactively controled by a slider on the Setup Sensor panel, but in Sherlock the Exposure is set in the Camera Configuration file. The pulse width of the trigger (Frame Reset) signal to the camera, determines the exposure time. Exposure times can range between 1/30 second, to as high as 1/100000 second. Refer to the camera specifications for the supported range. The following Table maps shutter speed to pulse width. Shutter Speed 1/30 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000 1/2000 1/4000 1/8000 1/10000 1/12000 1/20000 1/40000 1/80000 1/100000 Frame Reset Size (pulse width) * 33,333 us 16,667 us 8,000 us 4,000 us 2,000 us 1,000 us 500 us 250 us 125 us 100 us 83 us 50 us 25 us 12 us 10 us