The importance of consistent illumination for machine vision

Illumination is a critical component of any machine vision system and any undefined variations in illumination conditions can potentially affect the quality of the resulting image and, in turn, the accuracy and reproducibility of any measurements made from the image. In fact, the key parameter is actually the amount of light arriving at the image sensor. The illumination source plays a critical role in this, but other components in the optical system, and external factors can also have an influence on this.

The new publication discusses some of the causes of image brightness variation and possible solutions. Topics covered include: the need for constant image brightness; LED lighting control methods; factors affecting LED light intensity; other factors affecting image brightness; controlling light intensity and controlling image brightness using intelligent lighting.

Closed-loop control of image brightness using an intelligent lighting approach offers a highly effective approach since it is based on the image brightness detected by the camera itself. This therefore takes into account, and compensates for, any change in the illumination conditions, whether as a result of the LED itself or any external conditions.

Follow the link to download a copy of the "Maintaining Constant Image Brightness in Machine Vision Systems' white paper from Gardasoft.