Translation stages
The ANT-25L Nano-Translation stages, designed for continuous manufacturing environments, are available in X, XY, and XYZ configurations. They provide 10-nm linear closed-loop resolution and contain turnkey drive and control electronics. They are noncontact, noncogging, direct-drive devices with real-time axis calibration. The 32-MHz electronic circuitry provides positioning of more than 250 mm/s with no hysteresis or backlash. The devices measure 100 x 100 x 66 mm.
Aerotech, Pittsburgh, PA
Fiber-coupled diodes
High-power laser diodes for materials processing can deliver up to 2000 W of optical power to the workpiece through fibers of 1-mm diameter or up to 4000 W through fibers of 1.5-mm diameter. By using smaller fibers with higher optical powers, the lasers deliver a reduced spot size while increasing working distances, allowing key-hole welding as well as metal cutting and brazing at higher powers.
Laserline GmbH, Koblenz, Germany
Laser illuminator
Laserflash is a high-power laser designed as an illumination source for machine-vision applications. It produces up to 130 W at 810 nm and has a working distance of several hundred meters with a selectable field angle. Its narrow spectral band allows the machine vision to exclude ambient light interference by using filters in the camera system. It complies with Class 1 laser standards. Pulse length is adjustable from 0.1 to 1000 µs, with a repetition rate from a single pulse to 100 KHz.
OptoPrecision, Bremen, Germany
Cooled CCD
The Photometrics SenSys:3200E CCD camera has a large field of view with more than 3.2 million pixels. The cooled CCD uses indium tin oxide technology and a full-frame architecture to boost quantum efficiency, particularly in the blue-green and near-IR regions. The 12-bit camera is available in either a C- or F-mount configuration for attachment to standard lenses, microscopes, and optical equipment. A high-speed PCI card is included.
Roper Scientific, Tucson, AZ
Low-power CO2 laser
The LASY-2 is a 100-mW RF excited CO2 laser designed for applications based on spectral analysis in the long-wave IR range (9.1 to 11 µm), such as environmental monitoring, gas leak checking, chemical agent detection, close range sensing and ranging, and medical diagnostics.
Access Laser Company, Marysville, WA
Laser optics
New 266-nm "HDT" laser optics are designed for high-power Nd:YAG laser applications such as micromachining, marking, and cutting. The Model 266-45-HDT has 98% reflectance at the Nd:YAG 4th harmonic, 266 nm (at 45° AOI) with a 3 to 5 J/cm2 laser-induced damage threshold. The optics are available in standard 0.5- and 1.0-in. diameters.
Acton Research, Acton, MA
Industrial smart camera
The VCM30D is a compact (10 x 1.3-in. diameter), lightweight image-processing system with standard NEMA 4 (IP67) housing and 8 Mbytes of DRAM. The system comes bundled with normalized gray-scale correlation pattern matching software. Applications include gauging, inspection, orientation, color control, pattern matching, and recognition and correlation tasks.
Vision Components, Burlington, MA
OEM photodiode
The SD150-14-006 is a new silicon PIN photodiode for OEM optical-communications applications. The device is designed for VFIR links, IrDA-compatible transceivers in cameras, portable peripherals, and data storage devices. The proprietary design enables high-speed operation at a bias voltage of 2.5 V, allowing compatibility with battery-powered devices. An active-area diameter of 2.3 mm2 simplifies optical alignment. Signal tailing is alleviated.
Advanced Photonix, Camarillo, CA
Large-format image guides
Large-format, fiberoptic image guides are available with 8.0 x 8.0-mm and 11.5 x 8.0-mm active areas. Images can be obtained by adding off-the-shelf lenses and in combination with CCD cameras to view critical environments otherwise hostile to video cameras. The guides are equipped with end-tip fittings and outer protection sheaths that can be customized.
AEI Optics Unlimited, Marcellus, NY
TEC fibers
TEC fiber (Thermally-diffusion Expand Core) is designed to reduce coupling loss induced by optical alignment error between two different SM fiber cores and the laser diode and during optical assembly. A patented NTT Micro Burner Method is used to more than double the size of the fiber while maintaining low loss. TEC fibers are available with 20 or 30 µm of expanded core on a 1.5-m cable.
AMS Technologies, München, Germany
Portable chillers
New 20- to 30-hp PS Series portable chillers have tandem hermetic scroll compressors with Smart Cool technology. This allows one compressor to shut off when process water temperature reaches the desired set point. The chillers have a stainless-steel, copper-brazed plate evaporator, nonferrous process piping, and an 80-gallon reservoir. Temperature control is accurate to ±1°F, with an operating range of 30°F to 65°F. Air or water-cooled versions are available.
AEC/Application Engineering, Wood Dale, IL
Automated laser-weld fiber-attach station
The FAST 30 is a laser-weld machine incorporating automated fiber and ferrule feed into the photonic package, providing fully automated fiber alignment and laser welding. Total cycle times are typically four minutes, roughly half the time of alternative automation machines. The machines support laser welding, epoxy dispense/cure, and solder processes using a standard station base and software.
Axsys Technologies, Rocky Hill, CT
Light pipes
A new series of light pipes is available in sizes ranging from micro to 150 mm. Light pipes are used to couple light from one aperture shape to another and are available in designs, including rectangular, round, and tapered. Materials in use are fused silica, glass, and silicon.
Argyle International, Princeton, NJ
EtherNet industrial protocol
The Ethernet Industrial Protocol (EtherNet IP) has been added to the In-Sight family of networkable vision sensors. This enables direct, real-time communications between vision sensors and other factory automation devices over a single Ethernet wire. Customers have the ability to link multiple vision sensors together and remotely monitor vision activity throughout the manufacturing process.
Cognex, Natick, MA
Solid-state 460-nm blue laser
The new Sapphire 460-10 incorporates a proprietary, optically pumped semiconductor-laser (OPSL) technology. OPSL technology uses optical energy to drive laser emissions, compared to conventional VCSELs driven by electric current, for higher power. The laser is designed to enable digital imaging systems, inspection systems, and bioinstrumentation. The sapphire laser is 90% smaller, consumes 98% less power, and dissipates 98% less heat than a comparable air-cooled argon-ion laser.
Coherent, Santa Clara, CA
Nd:YAG DPSS laser
The Scimitar laser is a 1064-nm, Nd:YAG, DPSS laser, which produces 150-W multimode or 20-W TEM00. It is equipped for CW or acousto-optic Q-switch operation from 1 to 50 kHz. Optional green output produces up to 35 W of light at 532 nm. Applications include micromachining, welding, cutting, ablating, drilling, very-fast laser marking, and other machining needs.
Cutting Edge Optronics, St. Charles, MO
Colored glass filters
Colored glass or combination colored-glass filters are diced using Kulicke and Soffa's model 984 diamond-blade dicing saw for low chip edges from 20 to 50 µm. Covering the UV to NIR regions, the filters function as broadband, bandpass, or longwave-pass filters and are used in UV applications for semiconductor manufacturers. Production sizes range from 0.5 to 3 mm in thickness and 1 to 150 mm in length, with custom sizes available.
CVI Laser, Albuquerque, NM
Linear-stepped neutral-density filters
Linear-stepped neutral-density filters are offered with 6 or 11 steps in BK7 or fused-silica substrates. Available with optical density of 0.04 to 1.0, 0.04 to 2.0, and 0.04 to 3.0, these filters have dimensional tolerance of ±0.20 mm, thickness tolerance of ±0.25 mm, clear aperture of 99.60 x 23.40 mm, surface quality of 60 to 40, parallelism of 3 arc min, and standard linearity of ±5% of end density.
Edmund Industrial Optics, Barrington, NJ
Laser interferometer
The LT-LMI1000 has a resolution of 65 nm in a measuring range of 10 to 1000 nm. The diode laser used in the instrument is Class I for eye safety. The interferometer is designed for precise alignment applications, including lathe or printing machine operations.
Laser Components, Santa Rosa, CA
Color meter
The HCT-99 color meter measures illuminance, correlated color temperature, and the (x,y)/(u,v) chromaticity coordinates, all with one meter. The compact unit includes two separate detectors for xshort and xlong functions and an f1'<4% spectral match of the V(λ) detector, which exceeds the DIN 5032 classification for class B lightmeters.
Gigahertz-Optik, Newburyport, MA
VCSEL arrays
The STABILAZE 850-nm vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays are stabilized at the wafer level, eliminating concern about parametric shifts of the output caused by temperature and current. Uniformity of characteristics such as threshold, slope efficiency, and resistance improve laser performance.
Honeywell, Richardson, TX