Precise to the microsecond industrial cameras with precision time protocol

Many industrial inspection applications, such as flat panel display inspection, PCB inspection and document scanning require ultra-high resolution images to allow for a higher level of detail. As sensor technology experts, Baumer can supply a wide range of industrial cameras to satisfy Precision Time Protocol, and therefore deliver higher levels of efficiency and manufacturing up-time with imaging that is consistently accurate and precise.

The Baumer range of high-performance CMOS and CCD cameras with GigE Vision, USB3 Vision and Camera link delivers excellent image quality and high frame rates, packing into reliable industrial design. Multiple interfaces enable easy, flexible and fast integration with cutting-edge CMOS sensor technology with global and rolling shutter.

What is Precision Time Protocol?

Baumer explains that “Precision Time Protocol is a network-based time synchronisation standard that aims to achieve nanosecond precision to deliver much sharper time resolutions for the industrial sector.” In particular, the manufacturing sector aims to achieve incredible levels of efficiency by enabling highly precise image processing to monitor production lines. Baumer provided the example of manufacturing within the food and beverage industry to monitor flow and fill rates with high levels of precision.

Another example of Precision Time Protocol within an industrial environment is the Power Industry. This uses smart grid power automation applications such as peak-hour billing, virtual power generators and outage monitoring. As these applications require extremely precise time-keeping, PTP works to monitor accuracy, supportability and troubleshooting of the grid, to improve efficiency and reduce the impact of potential downtime.

Industrial cameras with Precision Time Control

Baumer has equipped 25 industrial camera models of the LX and CX series range with PTP technology (Precision Time Protocol), that operates in accordance with the IEEE 1588 Standard to support precise time synchronisation. This allows applications to benefit from all of the advantages of PTP-supported systems, that includes:

• Synchronised recording of images by multiple smart cameras,
• Simplified allocation of image to trigger points,
• Unambiguous identification and allocation of process data

Due to an increasing number of machine components needing to operate on a cross-system uniform time basis, cameras that have PTP support contribute to simpler system design and integration, which can result in cost reductions across multi-camera operations. The Baumer range of PTP industrial smart camera can be precisely synchronised to 1µs and support a Master/Slave mode alongside scheduled action commands. This is particularly useful for applications in which images need to be captured from several different perspectives.

Why invest in industrial cameras?

High-resolution industrial cameras can be used in a variety of applications in order to deliver microsecond precise imaging and control. Modern image processing takes the challenge of receiving high levels of application and manufacturing data through inspection tasks at top speeds.

Baumer’s high-performance product portfolio features industrial smart camera systems and vision sensors with resolutions from VGA to up to 48 megapixels.

Benefits of using a high resolution industrial camera for Precision Time Protocol

• Flexible application solution across a number of industries with a wide CMOS and CCD camera portfolio that delivers resolutions of up to 48 megapixels and 891 frames per second
• Reliable solutions with long-term stability and precise image analysis due to the design of industrial cameras with IP 67 rating, wide temperature ranges and automation voltage levels
• Optimise your system costs flexibility as industrial cameras have a powerful feature set, image processing and a number of different interfaces
• Set up quickly and easily across Windows, Linux and ARM-based platforms with cameras that have GigE Vision, USB3 Vision, Camera Link and GenICam Vision built-in
• Precise to the microsecond time control across your entire production process
• Global presence of Baumer subsidiaries for convenient global sourcing and support.

Which applications can benefit from high-resolution industrial cameras

Implementing high-resolution industrial smart cameras can benefit a variety of industrial applications, in particular:

• Packaging and print inspection
• Metrology and inspection systems
• Medical technology
• Renewable energies
• Robotics
• Intelligent Traffic Systems
• Machine vision.

Future-ready applications with CMOS sensors

Delivering significant advances with higher speeds and lower noise levels, CMOS sensors from Baumer have been firmly established as having groundbreaking sensor technologies, superseding CCD sensors in many areas of industrial image processing. The CMOS sensor range from Baumer offers high-resolution, frame-rates and low-power consumption with an excellent price-performance ratio.

Over 20-years of expertise enable Baumer to understand your requirements to provide the optimum product for your application from our industrial camera portfolio that includes CCD-and CMOS-based matrix cameras in colour and monochrome versions with resolutions ranging from VGA to 48 megapixels. Do you have an industrial smart camera application that requires microsecond precise control? Speak to Baumer UK today.