FTI concentrates its effort designing and manufacturing application-specific custom fiberoptic lines. However, FTI also manufactures standard light lines in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, with the following features:

To optimize the performance of a light line as emitter or receiver, it’s important to match the fiberoptic active area of the line to the active area of the lamp’s focal spot or the detector being used. The usual method of design begins by describing the desired line length. Then, the optimal spot size of the lamp or area of the photo detector is identified, and finally, a line width is calculated to work best with the application.

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Of course, your particular application is the overriding determining factor, and your goal should be to optimize line performance, using as little fiber (and the fewest number of inputs) as possible to minimize cost.

Manufacturing Standard and Custom fiber optics for Industrial, Medical, Commercial, Military and Machine Vision applications since 1977.

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FTI uses a unique, proprietary method of creating light lines, resulting in a repeatable, high quality, cost effective product.

Choosing the right machine vision lighting starts with identifying the application's requirements, characteristics, and, most importantly, environmental conditions. For optimal image clarity and contrast, consider light intensity and wavelength. Selecting the light type, angle, and position too is crucial as it reduces shadows to highlight the relevant areas to reach the desired outcome.

2. For “shaped” illumination, almost all fiberoptic input starts out as a circular spot of light. In the case of a fiber line, an inexpensive projector bulb in a fiberoptic light source can illuminate the entire width of a document or web of paper.

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The Size, Physical Complexity, Colour, Specularity of the subject makes the light selection difficult. Different types of lighting and multiple lighting configurations need to be utilized to tackle such challenges and get the perfect imaging.

Machine Vision lights are designed to operate in Continuous mode and Strobe mode. Strobing can be from the camera or external power source. This virtually eliminates blur and noise caused by a vibrating conveyor or subject in high speed motion.

The light selection starts by creating the contrast for what you want to see in the object. The lighting should be able to create uniform brightness across the subject without causing reflections or shadows.

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In the fiberoptic line photo below, you might also notice the optional cylindrical lens and holder, which serves to focus diverging line output, concentrating output into a thin, bright, fairly uniform line of light. Because the lens concentrates the power, the overall power density will increase by a factor of 10.

Occasionally an application will require more power from the line end than the device at the spot end can output. In this case, FTI will manufacture the line using two (or more) inputs with the fiber from both inputs uniformly dispersed throughout the line, maintaining consistent energy distribution. Each input disperses light energy along the entire length of the line.

Reflections & Shadows are the biggest challenges faced by the customers. Polarization, Angle of illumination and lighting configurations can fully avoid the reflections and shadows, at the same time highlighting the features being inspected.

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To ensure consistent performance, the fiber nearer the spot (proximal) end should be randomized to minimize inconsistencies of the lamp or detector, and the fiber at the line (distal) end should be parallel, tightly nested, and uniformly placed to focus the output beam, minimize output skewed output, and maintain uniformity.

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The lighting techniques vary based on the application. Surface inspection, engraved OCR, and Measurement are the typical examples where different types of lighting are used. Dark field and Bright field are other lighting techniques used.

Try to select a line length longer than the width you are inspecting; all fiberoptic lines experience light fall-off at near each end.

Also known as Spot-to-Line, or Fiberoptic Line, or Fiberoptic Light line, FTI manufactures standard fiberoptic light lines from .125″ to over 4 feet in length.

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If you’re using a strobe, inputs with an active diameter of up to .8″ (20mm) could be used, so the line length per input can be doubled, (or the power per inch can be increased to improve processing speed and accuracy).

FTI manufactures light lines in multiple configurations and shapes. Dual, triple and quad (or more) heads, unique housing/fixturing shapes and sizes, bundles of varying lengths, fiber of various types, and line widths of varying sizes can be produced to your specifications or one we develop for you. Finally, high heat, vacuum or pressure applications require special consideration.

Minimize errors in detection and analysis by choosing the right machine vision lighting that does not compromise image quality. Automated systems require accurate and reliable image capturing to reach the desired results. Machine vision lighting provides uniform and controlled illumination that can minimize shadows, enhance contrast, and give attention to the finest detail, thus helping to reach precision in inspection and productivity in the industry.

To ensure effective application, we work with you to determine exactly what design will best suit your needs. Then, we’ll help determine how uniform the response must be across the face of the line for your use. Finally, each spot-to-line is scanned on our automatic transmission fixture to ensure compliance with the developed specification, or it’s checked in a custom test fixure you provide. A hard copy record of the results can be provided with each part shipped. You’ll know the quality of the part when you receive it.

For web scanning applications, assuming a typical projector lamp focal spot diameter of .55″, 1 input for every 16″ (.4M) of line will create a line width of about .015″ (.38mm) – an area most traditional lamps can fill with a focused spot.