How to use line scan?

[mate47]

Hey!

I would like to make a line scan vision system, but I am not sure if I have all the components. Its my first time with line scan camera.

So the camera that I am using is Basler spL2048-70km and a simple encoder for triggering which has an output signal 24V. This one is mechanically attached to the cylinder on which the paper is running. Se everytime I get a pulse the camera has to capture a line. I was looking at the frame grabber's from NI and I figure this is what I need: NI-PCI-1426 and camera link cable and 15 pin trigger cable. 

Ia am not sure how I will connect the encoder to the camera or frame grabber to trigger the camera. How is this done usually?

Is there anything else (from hardware) that I need?

How will I stick the lines into one picture? Is there any tutorial you prefer?

If you also have any suggestions/tutorial that I can use, feel free to tell me 🙂

Kind regards,

Matej 

[PatriciaAD]

Hi Matej,

The camera you have, Basler spL2048-70km, is compatible with PCI-1426. However, your 24V encoder cannot be used directly with PCI-1426. This board accepts only TTL signals, so you need to use the Camera Link I/O extension board, that accepts up to 30V on its isolated inputs. Please read the specifications for the extension board here:

http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/371516c.pdf

I will get back to you about tutorials on how to use line scan camera with NI software and hardware.

Have a nice day,

Patricia

[Robert_Eastlund]

Dear All,

The I/O extension boards would be a good idea, but the I/O extension boards are limited for use with the PCIe framegrabber, PCIe-1427, PCIe-1429, PCIe-1430 and PCIe-1433.  The PCI-1426 and PCI-1428 boards will not work with the I/O extension boards.

[PatriciaAD · Accepted solution]

Hi Matej,

Robert is correct, the I/O extension board is not supported with PCI-1426. You can use for example PCI-1427 instead.

The camera you have, Basler SpL2048-70km, is not in the list of NI supported cameras, which means it has not been tested with NI software. However, Basler SpL4096-70k (Sprint) is supported and you can find the camera files and compatibility report here. In case these camera files do not work with your camera, you willl need to create your own files with the Camera File Generator.

Once you have the camera and the encoder connected to the framegrabber, you can begin acquiring images. In the Image Acquisition tutorial there is general information about how line scan cameras can be used with NI software. The Advanced Analog Triggering and Synchronization Techniques detailes the acquisition and triggering modes for line scan cameras. From this tutorial, I believe you need to use the Trigger Each Line and VHA (Variable Height Acquisition) mode, in order to append individual lines into one 2D image.

Let us know if you have more questions and if we can provide more detailed information on a particular topic.

Patricia