New-Tech Europe | Aug 2019 | Digital Edition

New Compact NF-Mount 5 Megapixel Lens As resolution of image sensors increases and pixel size decreases, the lens often gets bigger to maintain the same optical performance. LUCID introduced a new family of 2/3” 5 megapixel rated NF-mount lenses that provide a smaller footprint without sacrificing on performance or price. The lens provides a 40% space reduction and up to 50% weight reduction while maintaining the same imaging performance as a standard C-mount lens. When paired with the Phoenix camera, the overall cross section is within 24 x 24 mm and maintains its compactness. LUCID’s internal testing has shown that compared to equivalent C-mount products on the market, LUCID’s NF-mount lens has equal or better performance from the center to the edge of the lens. The following test was performed on a 5-megapixel Phoenix camera at a distance of 30cm from the test target. In many cases a machine vision lens is the largest component in a camera setup, out-sizing the camera itself. There is also the misconception that larger lenses always offer better clarity and performance. In some situations this is true but for the LUCID 12mm lens NF-mount lens users can enjoy a large reduction in lens size without sacrificing lens performance.

Figure 3: The lightweight aluminium spacers effectively draw heat away from the camera’s core boards through strategic contact points.

PoE: Power, Data and Distance Thanks to Power Over Ethernet (PoE), camera manufacturers can combine both power and data into one single Ethernet cable. PoE removes the need for AC power supplies and separate power cabling. It also increases ease- of-use with the ability to deploy 100 m cable distances without the need for repeaters. PoE modules continue to shrink in size with a 70% reduction over the last couple of years allowing for more compact and convenient PoE devices. Fully compliant PoE IEEE802.3af devices have a maximum power range of 15.4 W ensuring that as more powerful sensors and processors come to market there will be ample power available without the need for additional power supplies and power cables.

Over 70% Reduction in PoE module size from 2014 to 2017 Miniaturized ix™ Industrial Ethernet Connector In addition to a standard RJ45 Ethernet connector configuration, the Phoenix camera optionally offers the new ix Industrial™ connector. Even though the RJ45 connector is widely used in many Ethernet applications and devices, the size of the socket becomes a roadblock to further miniaturization. The ix Industrial™ connector is 70% smaller than a traditional RJ45 connector, making the Phoenix camera even more compact. This miniaturized connector also offers snap-in positive locking featuring a robust connection design between the jack and the plug using

Figure 5: Improvements in miniaturization techniques allows sensor manufacturers to reduce sensor sizes or add more resolution to same size sensor packages.

Figure 4: The 1st generation 2.3 MP Pregius sensor was 40% larger than the 2nd generation version.

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