Article
5-megapixel camera
Within the next three months, RasaAndishan's 5-megapixel USB3 camera will be unveiled. At full resolution this camera has a frame rate of 20 Hz, and at VGA resolution it reaches 120 Hz. This makes it an ideal camera for a wide range of applications.
Design and production of this camera, the RA-ASC-9031, was completed in July 2020. Its sensor is CMOS with 2592 × 1944 pixels. Each pixel is 2.2 μm. This is the smallest pixel among RasaAndishan area scan cameras.
This camera supports external triggering. AOI mode lets you select a specific region of the image. This raises the imaging speed. The camera has a rolling shutter. So it is a good choice for stationary objects.
The main applications of this 5-megapixel camera are dimensional measurement, inspection of stationary parts and digital image correlation (DIC). Laboratory image processing projects also use it. Windows and Linux drivers are provided along with sample code in Matlab, LabView, C++, C# and Python. This sample code makes the work simple from day one.
Unlike the ASC-0229 and ASC-0267, this camera is not CCD-based. Its output is 8-bit or 12-bit. The 12-bit output, with 4096 gray levels, records edge slopes more precisely. This way, you can locate an edge with sub-pixel accuracy.
Small pixels have another implication. Each pixel collects less light, so the scene needs more light. Your lens must also resolve details as small as 2.2 μm. Otherwise you get no benefit from the small pixels. The on-board RAM also holds short sequences at the full frame rate.
See the full specifications on the RA-ASC-9031 camera page. If you want to learn more about how sensors are built, read the Image sensor article on Wikipedia.