The Various Lens Types

Industrial image processing relies heavily on the choice of lenses to ensure optimal performance. From fixed focal length lenses providing stability and cost-effectiveness to liquid lenses offering rapid focusing capabilities, each lens type brings unique advantages to industrial imaging systems, contributing to enhanced efficiency and precision across a range of applications.

Fixed Focal Length Lenses

In industrial image processing, products and components are typically inspected by digital cameras under controlled conditions. Aspects such as object distance, lighting conditions, and exposure time remain constant. Since the distance to the object does not vary, lenses with a fixed focal length are generally well-suited. Their simpler construction makes them more cost-effective. Additionally, they are more robust and resistant to shocks and vibrations, which could otherwise alter the focal length settings in machines. Further benefits include exceptional image quality, heightened light sensitivity, and a compact form factor, which is particularly advantageous in mechanical engineering.

Characteristics and Features

Precise focusing: Fixed focal length lenses allow a reliable and consistent focus at a predetermined working distance, crucial in industrial environments requiring accurate inspections and measurements.
Image quality: The fixed focal length and limited number of optical elements ensure high image quality, crucial for image processing tasks where details are of great importance.
Light sensitivity: Many fixed focal length lenses are fast lenses, capable of delivering high image quality in low light conditions.
Compact design: The compact construction of fixed focal length lenses facilitates easy integration into industrial image processing systems, which are often focused on efficiency and space-saving.

Applications

Inspection and quality control: Thanks to their high image quality and reliable focus, fixed focal length lenses are commonly used in industrial image processing for inspection tasks and quality controls.
Robotics: Machine vision cameras are used to control robots and machines, providing them with “machine vision” to adapt their movements to changing conditions, such as picking components as bulk from a container (bin-picking) or optimizing the assembly of components despite geometric variations.

Fixed focal length lenses are the ideal choice for applications in predetermined working environments, where dependable image quality is of utmost importance.

Click here to explore our fixed focal lenses for CCTV cameras and here for our machine vision lenses.

Zoom Lenses

Variable focal length lenses, also known as zoom lenses, offer the ability to dynamically adjust the focal length, thereby changing the image frame.

Characteristics and Features

Variable focal length: The defining feature of zoom lenses is their ability to adjust the focal length variably, allowing users to change the image frame without physically changing the lens.
Flexibility: Variable focal length lenses offer high flexibility in adjusting the image frame. This is particularly useful in applications such as robotics, where the distance between the camera and a moving object can change during the working process.
Versatility: Because of their adjustable focal length, zoom lenses are used in a variety of applications, such as documenting events in large venues. In this scenario, the zoom lens enables flexible switching between wide-angle shots to capture the entire event and telephoto shots to focus more precisely on individual details or people.
Compromise on light intensity: Compared to fixed focal length lenses, zoom lenses are often less luminous, especially at full telephoto focal length. This may be relevant in low-light environments.

Applications

Monitoring and security: In surveillance systems, zoom lenses are frequently used to adapt the image frame to different scenarios, whether for monitoring large areas or for identifying details in specific areas.
Traffic surveillance: In traffic cameras and surveillance systems in public places, zoom lenses allow zooming in for detailed analysis or wide-angle zooming for comprehensive surveillance.
Industrial inspection: In industrial image processing systems, zoom lenses are used for inspection tasks where a variable focal length is required to capture different levels of detail.
Logistics: Zoom lenses are also used in logistics, such as capturing every position sharply during the loading of vehicles, pallets, or boxes and reading barcodes or texts.

Variable focal length lenses in image processing offer flexibility and adaptability, making them a suitable choice for applications requiring different image frames or viewing angles.

Click here to explore our vari-focal length lenses.

Liquid Lenses

Liquid lenses are innovative optical elements distinguished by their variable focal length and rapid focusing capabilities. Here are some advantages of liquid lenses in industrial imaging.

Characteristics and Features

Variable Focal Length: Liquid lenses possess the unique ability to dynamically adjust their focal length. This allows for flexible focus adaptation without mechanical movements, which is advantageous in many industrial applications.
Fast Focusing: Liquid lenses can change their focal length very quickly, often within milliseconds. This makes them particularly suitable for rapid inspections or image capturing.
Compact Design: Due to their fluid nature, liquid lenses can be integrated into compact systems. This makes them ideal for applications with space constraints, such as embedded imaging systems or mobile applications.
Lightweight: Compared to traditional lenses with mechanical focusing elements, liquid lenses are lighter. This can be particularly important for mobile systems such as drones.

Applications

Automotive Manufacturing: The fast focusing capability of liquid lenses allows for quick adaptation to changing conditions. For instance, in automotive manufacturing, liquid lenses facilitate rapid adjustment of focus during vehicle assembly inspections, ensuring accurate quality checks at each stage of production.
Pharmaceutical Packaging: The variable focal length of liquid lenses can be controlled automatically, enabling the integration of automation technologies that adjust focus according to inspection tasks. This is exemplified in pharmaceutical packaging lines, where liquid lenses are employed to automate the inspection of pill blister packs, ensuring consistent focus and quality control.
Electronics Manufacturing: Since liquid lenses do not require mechanical moving parts, wear and tear are reduced compared to traditional focusing systems with mechanical elements. This leads to potentially longer lifespans and lower maintenance requirements, benefiting industries like electronics manufacturing, where precision optics are crucial for quality assurance processes.
Solar Panel Production: The fast focusing and minimal mechanical movement make liquid lenses more energy-efficient compared to some traditional focusing technologies. In solar panel production, liquid lenses contribute to energy savings by efficiently focusing light during inspection processes, optimizing panel quality and performance.

Liquid lenses offer an innovative solution for applications requiring rapid and flexible focusing. The use of liquid lenses can enhance performance across various industries, from quality control to automated inspection.

Telecentric Lenses

Telecentric lenses are advanced optical components used in industrial imaging, distinguished by their unique features and benefits.

Characteristics and Features

Telecentric Design: The characteristic feature of telecentric lenses is their design, where rays meet the image sensor or object plane parallel to the optical axis. This results in consistent imaging quality regardless of object position, which is advantageous in various industrial applications.
Distortion-Free Imaging: Telecentric lenses minimize distortions that may occur with non-telecentric optics. This is particularly important for precise measurements and inspections where accurate object representation is required.
Constant Depth of Field: Unlike conventional lenses, telecentric lenses offer a constant depth of field over the entire working distance. This enables reliable inspection of objects with varying heights.
Minimal Perspective Change: Telecentric lenses minimize perspective changes during object or camera movements. This is especially important in applications requiring accurate measurements and positioning.

Applications

Electronics Assembly: Telecentric lenses enable precise measurements and inspections unaffected by object position, crucial for quality control in electronics assembly, ensuring precise placement of components on circuit boards.
Medical Device Manufacturing: Clear and accurate images provided by telecentric lenses are essential for medical device manufacturing, ensuring detailed inspection of intricate parts with minimal distortion.
Automotive Assembly: Constant depth of field across the working range ensures reliable focusing and inspection of objects in automotive assembly, where consistent image clarity is essential for detecting defects during production.
Aerospace Assembly: Minimal perspective change and consistent image quality contribute to precise positioning in aerospace assembly, ensuring accurate alignment of components during spacecraft construction.

In conclusion, telecentric lenses in industrial imaging offer outstanding solutions for applications requiring the highest precision, distortion-free imaging, and constant depth of field. Their use enhances the performance of imaging systems across various industries, from manufacturing to metrology.

Ruggedized Lenses

Ruggedized lenses are specifically designed optical components that are optimized for use in demanding industrial environments.

Characteristics and Features

Robust Construction: Ruggedized lenses are physically durable and resistant to shocks. They are designed to withstand vibrations, impacts, and mechanical stresses, making them particularly suitable for harsh industrial environments.
Environmental Protection: These lenses are often sealed against dust, moisture, and aggressive chemicals. This allows them to be used in environments that would pose challenges for conventional lenses.
Temperature Resistance: Ruggedized lenses are designed to operate over a wide temperature range. They can withstand extreme temperatures, whether in hot production environments or cold storage facilities.
Optical Performance: Despite their rugged construction, these lenses offer high optical performance, ensuring clear and precise images in industrial image processing applications.

Application

Mining Industry: The robust construction of ruggedized lenses ensures their durability and reliability, making them indispensable in industries like mining, where equipment must withstand harsh conditions without compromising imaging quality or performance.
Manufacturing Assembly Lines: Ruggedized lenses’ resilience to adverse conditions minimizes downtime, critical in fast-paced production environments such as assembly lines, where interruptions can lead to significant losses in productivity and revenue.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Customizable to meet the unique demands of different industries, ruggedized lenses find applications in sectors like pharmaceutical manufacturing, where stringent cleanliness standards necessitate specialized lens configurations for optimal performance.

In summary, ruggedized lenses offer a robust solution for tough environments in industrial image processing. They blend optical excellence with strong durability, ensuring dependable performance for industrial imaging systems.

Click here to explore our ruggedized lenses.

Infrared Lens

Infrared (IR) lenses are specialized optical components designed for capturing infrared light in the electromagnetic spectrum. Glass and other optical materials transmit light differently depending on the spectral range. Therefore, lenses suitable for infrared image processing must be used.

Characteristics and Features

Wavelength Range: IR lenses are designed to capture light in the infrared wavelength range, which extends beyond the visible range. Depending on the application, IR lenses may be optimized for near-infrared (NIR), short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), or long-wave infrared (LWIR).
Infrared-Transmissive Materials: The lenses of infrared lenses are made from materials that transmit infrared light, as conventional optical glasses may be opaque to infrared radiation.
Thermal Sensitivity: In some cases, IR lenses may be focused on detecting heat sources and temperature measurement, making them particularly useful for applications such as thermography.

Application

Night Vision and Surveillance: IR lenses are commonly used in night vision devices and surveillance cameras to provide clear images even in low or no ambient light conditions.
Thermography and Temperature Measurement: In thermography, IR lenses are used to detect temperature differences in materials or environments. This is important in areas such as industry, building inspection, and medicine.
Medical Imaging: In medicine, IR lenses are used in imaging techniques such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) or thermography to obtain information about tissue conditions or temperature changes.
Quality Control and Inspection: IR lenses are used in industrial image processing to detect hidden defects, material differences, or structural defects that would not be visible in the visible light spectrum.
Material Identification: In agriculture and food processing, IR lenses can be used to obtain information about the condition of plants, soil composition, or food quality. In plastic recycling, various materials are sorted using infrared image processing.

The versatility of IR lenses extends across a wide range of applications, from security and surveillance to industrial inspection and medical imaging. Their ability to capture invisible information in the infrared range makes them a crucial tool in various industries and applications.

Click here to explore our infrared-corrected lenses and here to explore our SWIR lenses.

Thermal Imaging

Thermography lenses are specialized optical components designed for capturing infrared light in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Characteristics and Features

Wavelength Range: Thermography lenses are designed to capture light in the long-wave infrared range (LWIR). This allows for the detection of heat signatures and temperature differences.
Infrared-Transmissive Materials: The lenses of thermography lenses are made of materials that are transparent to infrared light. This is crucial since conventional optical glasses are opaque to infrared radiation.
Adaptation to Specific Wavelengths: Thermography lenses can be tailored to specific wavelength ranges to ensure optimal sensitivity for detecting temperature differences.
Thermal Sensitivity: Thermography lenses are specifically designed to detect heat sources, making them essential for applications such as building inspection, industrial maintenance, and electrical monitoring.

Applications

Monitoring Industrial Processes: In industrial environments, thermography lenses enable early detection of equipment failures and potential issues, particularly in processes such as foundries, plastic injection molding, and plastic welding, by identifying overheated or undercooled areas.
Monitoring Chemical Processes: Some chemical processes produce heat. Thermal imaging cameras can be used to monitor processes such as fermentation or chemical reactions.
Electrical Monitoring: Thermography lenses play a crucial role in monitoring electrical installations, indicating overheating and faulty connections, leading to preventive maintenance measures.
Fire Protection: In fire protection, thermography lenses enable early fire detection by sensing temperature changes before visible smoke or fire signals occur.
Safety and Rescue Operations: Thermography lenses are used in search and rescue missions to locate individuals in distress, even under challenging visibility conditions.

The applications of thermography lenses span a wide range of areas, from building and industrial inspection to electrical monitoring and fire protection. Their ability to accurately capture temperature differences makes them an indispensable tool in preventive maintenance, safety, and rescue.

Click here to explore our thermal imaging solutions.

By understanding the capabilities and advantages of each lens type discussed herein, businesses can make informed decisions to optimize their imaging systems for specific tasks and environments. With continuous advancements in lens technology, the future promises even greater possibilities for enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and innovation in industrial image processing.

The Various Lens Types

Fixed Focal Length Lenses

Zoom Lenses

Liquid Lenses

Telecentric Lenses

Ruggedized Lenses

Infrared Lens

Thermal Imaging

Products

Download

News

Products

Applications

Services