Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Camera Software

Graham Stabler wrote:

>--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, Neil Gillies <neil@...> wrote:
>
>
>>Hi Dennis
>>
>>The semiconductor world is full of this stuff - on a small scale of
>>course but the technology is the same.
>>
>>Here's a link to probably one of the best systems ...
>>
>>http://www.muetec.com/products/wafer/muetec-100.php
>>
>>Don't get too anal about lens distortion, it's amazing what some
>>simple algorithms can correct for and
>>the accuracy that can be achieved is absolutely mindboggling.
>>Oh - and an encoder isn't needed either for short measurements :-))))
>>
>>Have fun
>>
>>Neil
>>
>Picking up on what Neil has said about correcting distortion etc, if
>you have decent reference objects that will help a great deal. Also
>for larger objects you will need to have plenty of pixels, it might be
>better to use a digital stills camera where you can get 5 mega pixels
>for very little cash. Don't be afraid to whip off the origional
>optics to reveal the array, as long as it has a manual mode it
>*probably* won't care.
>
>

I'm pretty sure this won't work. You'll end up with a big smear instead
of a picture. The lens system does more than change the image size, it
also insures a 1:1 mapping between points in the scene and points on the
imager. The same thing can be done with a fiber optic bundle (this is
how the polaroid backs used to work for 35mm cameras).

>If you want live measurement then that is different again.
>
>

As it happens, I should be designing a digital camera soon, in the 5MP
range ;) This camera will have a reasonable sized FPGA, and some
processing power as well, and will interface with ethernet of some sort
(10/100 or gigabit). I'm not sure what the final cost will be, but it
should be in the mid-hundreds ($400 - $800). I had considered making a
version of this for industrial applications, such as center-finding and
homing (and possibly for encoder replacement as well, though the timing
there is difficult).

If people have suggestions for CNC-related uses for a fast megapixel
camera with a fair amount of processing power, feel free to post here.
(non-CNC uses you can mail me directly ;) )

(don't get your hopes too far up - the customer this is for has been
dragging their feet for two years, and it's too big a project to
self-fund ... )

>Graham
>

Thanks
- Steve