Micro-Epsilon launches Process Imager
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Micro-Epsilon UK product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Nov 24, 2008
The Micro-Epsilon PI (Process Imager) is an inline radiometric thermal imaging device that provides temperature images and profiles of a target area.
Rather than a hand-held thermal imaging camera, the Micro-Epsilon PI is fixed into position in a laboratory to monitor the temperature profile of target materials or objects.
The camera is suitable for process control, quality, and research and development applications across a wide range of industries.
The Micro-Epsilon PI has a USB 2.0 interface for real-time thermography with 100Hz frame rate as standard (most competing cameras offer only 50Hz) and a cable length of up to 20m.
Temperature measurement ranges offered are -20 to 100C, 0 to 250C and 120 to 900C, with a system accuracy of +/-2C or +/-2 per cent.
The system can be used to monitor the thermal behaviour of working electronic PCBs in test stations, or to check the thermal effects on mechanical components such as automotive brake discs or clutches.
The device can also be used to check the homogeneity of solar heating panels, LCD flat screens and for semiconductor process applications.
Other uses include temperature measurement and control in extrusion and thermoforming processes.
The PI enables users to detect for hot spots in bulk materials or products that are moving on materials handling and conveyor systems.
Similar to all industrial thermal imaging cameras, the PI uses an uncooled micro bolometer Focal Plane Array (FPA) with 160x120 pixels, offering a pixel size of 35um x 35um.
Exchangeable lenses of 31deg field of view (FOV) and 9deg FOV enable temperatures to be measured across a variety of object distances, including 'close', 'standard' and 'far field' focus.
The camera has good thermal sensitivity, which means the device is able to show very fine temperature details of the target object.
Chris Jones, managing director at Micro-Epsilon UK, said: 'Many process plants have maintenance technicians who patrol certain areas of the plant using relatively expensive hand-held thermal imaging cameras to monitor critical processes or equipment.
'The Micro-Epsilon PI can be installed in a fixed monitoring position next to a critical part of the production process, to constantly monitor a target material or object.' The operator can choose to use a flexible spot with crosshair mark and a fixed measurement area with automatic display of maximum, minimum or average value.
Temperature profiles along defined lines inside the image can be shown in a separate graph.
As well as a digital USB 2.0 interface for image processing, the PI comes with a programmable 0-10V analogue output and programmable limit switches.
This means the temperature of the target or other measurement information can be retransmitted to other logging equipment or alarms.
The software provided with the PI enables the user, for example, to set up an alarm if certain process temperature limits are exceeded.
A Process Interface analogue input (PIF in) allows the user to remotely adjust the emissivity of the target object or material.
The camera housing is made from anodised aluminium, measures 45mm x 45mm x 62mm and weighs 250g (including lens and 1m USB cable).
The device is protected to IP65 (Nema-4) and is powered (5V DC) via the USB 2.0 interface, with a maximum current draw of 500mA.
The system is compatible with Windows XP/Vista, enabling integration of thermal imaging information with mini PCs, rail-mounted PCs and industrial embedded PCs and PLCs.
A DLL is provided so that the user can export thermal imaging data from the process imager into customer-specific software.
The PI comes with Micro-Epsilon's PI Connect software as standard, which includes a recording function with radiometric video, snap shot, an analysis and post-processing of infrared images function and video.
The software enables the user to configure the Process Imager and allows engineers to capture and store the images on a PC for play back at a later date.
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Contact Micro-Epsilon UK
Tel +44 151 355 6070
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Temperature sensors highlighted at Maintec 2009
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Micro-Epsilon is using non-contact laser-profile displacement sensors for an internal weld inspection system.
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