Digital Optical Comparators Archives - Page 2 of 2

Rotary Stages / Rotary Axes

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are available with supplementary rotary axes. Our rotary stages are extremely flat and of the highest quality. They produce very repeatable movement and rotate the part about the stage’s true center.

Rotary stages can be mounted in different planes to accommodate the specific requirements of your application.

Multiple rotary stages can also be used (to provide “Pan & Tilt” capability, for example).

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator rotary stage/axis

An aircraft engine impeller mounted on a VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator rotary stage/axis

Rotary stage mounted normal to the optical axis on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator — Rotary stage mounted normal to the optical axis

Rotary stage mounted with the axis of rotation aligned horizontally with a 5C Collet chuck on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator — Rotary stage mounted with the axis of rotation aligned horizontally (and with a custom fixture that includes a 5C Collet chuck)

Rotary stage and workholding for turnkey runout measurement application

The above video shows a VisionGauge® tool for Automatic Part Alignment that is often used in conjunction with rotary stages.

Overall Outline of Rotary Stage included in "VGDOC-30-RS" (different dimensions and configurations are available) on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator — Overall Outline of Rotary Stage included in "VGDOC-30-RS" (different dimensions and configurations are available)

Please contact us for more information including a detailed spec sheet, a “Frequently Asked Questions” document, pricing, etc…

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator – Rotary Stages / Rotary Axes

Single or Multi-mag Optical Configurations

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are available in industry standard 5X, 10X, 20X, 50X and 100X optical configurations, in either single or multi-mag configurations.

Multi-mag configurations still have a single front objective lens, but “under the hood” there is a 3-lens encoded motorized rotary turret. The movement of the 3-lens turret is completely controlled through the simple and intuitive VisionGauge® software interface. Simply press on a button to change the optical magnification. Also, the scaling of the CAD data and all of the optical calibration coefficients are automatically adjusted accordingly!

This innovative high-quality multi-mag system produces the same outstanding image quality as the single-mag configurations, including:

very high resolution
very sharp sharp edge profiles
very strong contrast (i.e. no problems with ambient illumination)
outstanding image clarity
long working distance
extended depth-of-field

An EDM part viewed at 10x, 20x, and 50x magnifications:

An EDM part viewed at 10X magnification on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator

An EDM part viewed at 20X magnification on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator

An EDM part viewed at 50X magnification on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator

It’s also worth mentioning that the magnifications, when changing back-and-forth between objectives, are extremely repeatable. The measurement accuracy is, for all intents and purposes, the same as that of single-mag systems.

Finally, note that the various lenses in multi-mag units yield parcentric and parfocal results.

An Automotive Fastener viewed at 10x, 20x, and 50x magnifications on the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator:

Automotive Fastener Viewed at 10X Magnification on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator

Automotive Fastener Viewed at 20X Magnification on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator

Automotive Fastener Viewed at 50X Magnification on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator

Many other optical configurations are also available. We can configure a system to meet your specific requirements!

Please contact us for more information including a detailed spec sheet, a “Frequently Asked Questions” document, pricing, etc…

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators Single or Multi-mag Optical Configurations

Horizontal and Vertical Digital Optical Comparator Configurations

Our VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are offered in both horizontal and vertical configurations. The decision to choose a horizontal or vertical comparator takes into consideration the specific application requirements, the particularities of the part being inspected and how it is presented in the inspection area, and the convenience of operator handling.

Vertical Digital Optical Comparators

Vertical digital optical comparators feature a glass insert on the motorized or manual stage on which the part is placed for inspection. Collimated back-illumination utilizing ultra-bright LEDs illuminate the part from beneath the glass to display the part’s profile for inspection. The lens is mounted pointing downward to capture images as the XY stages moves the part in the field-of-view. Regularly spaced threaded mounting holes on the stage allow precise installation of fixtures, as required. Vertical optical comparators are well-suited for applications where the part sits flat on the glass, i.e. flat parts, such as large plates, etc…

500-series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator Vertical Configuration

The 400 Series VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator with manual stage motion

400-series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator Vertical Configuration

Horizontal Digital Optical Comparators

Horizontal digital optical comparators feature a hard chrome plated X-axis stage, constructed from hardened tooling steel with dual industry-standard dovetail mounting grooves for easy and repeatable part fixturing. The part sits on the stage, perpendicular to the Z-axis and lens. The dovetail grooves make it simple for operators to add and remove fixtures or supplemental axes (e.g. rotary axes), contributing to the versatility of the system so it is widely-applicable for a variety of different inspections within a single setting. Our horizontal configuration machines are our most popular as they are ideal for a very wide range of parts. While vertical configuration machines are generally used for flat parts, the horizontal machines are most often selected for all other part geometries.

500-series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator Horizontal Configuration

400-Series VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator with manual stage motion in horizontal configuration (reduced image).

400-series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator Horizontal Configuration

If you are upgrading an existing optical comparator to the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator, typically your part’s presentation to the camera will not change, so you can easily replace your traditional optical comparator with our system in the same horizontal or vertical format. In most cases, your existing part fixtures are already compatible with our system’s mounting methods. And even though the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator has many advanced tools and technologies not available in traditional optical comparators, we’ve provided a user interface that will be very comfortable and familiar for operators used to working with traditional optical comparators. For example: the system has a traditional-look Digital Read-Out (i.e. DRO), it supports traditional protractor-style crosshair-rotation, etc… The VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator truly is a drop-in replacement for traditional optical comparators.

Single and multiple optical magnifications are equally available for each configuration, and each format achieves much greater accuracy than traditional optical comparators, regardless of the configuration. Both Vertical and Horizontal configurations of VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators support our full customizable range of system options, including:

extended stages for larger travels in X, Y, or Z,
supplemental motorized, encoded high-accuracy rotary stages,
Z-axis laser module for high-accuracy, automated height/depth measurements,
upgraded encoders for a resolution of 0.1 micron,
configurations for heavy loads,
and much more…

Our vertical and horizontal digital optical comparators feature high-accuracy crossed-roller movements on all 3 basic axes (X, Y and Z) for optimal linearity and positional repeatability. These systems are all capable of high-accuracy measurements beyond the field-of-view. Autofocus is standard with all motorized systems.

All of our VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators showcase high-quality illumination that produces stunning image clarity. All illumination is LED-based for stable and uniform intensity across the entire field-of-view, as well as being programmable and computer-controlled to ensure crisp edge profiles on your parts and strong contrast for every inspection. Multiple front illumination options are also available to inspect the surface of a part or for applications that require specialized illumination configurations.

Contact us for spec sheets, our recommendations, and for more information about how the vertical and horizontal configurations of the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator can solve your application.

Illumination

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are available with transmitted (i.e. back) and / or reflected (i.e. front) illumination.

The VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators’ advanced, high-quality illumination modules produce outstanding image clarity even on surfaces and materials that have historically been considered hard to work with (e.g. reflective materials, plastics, etc…) The illumination intensity is very uniform across the entire field-of-view.

Transmitted Illumination on a part on a Digital Optical Comparator — Image of a part using traditional transmitted (i.e. back) illumination. This produces the maximum edge / profile sharpness

Reflected illumination on a Digital Optical Comparator — Image of the same part using both transmitted (i.e. back) and reflected (i.e. front) illumination. In this case we can also inspect the surface of the part.

All illumination is LED-based for very stable and repeatable illumination conditions over a very long life (no more bulbs to replace!). Furthermore, the illumination is programmable and computer-controlled, which ensures repeatable results.

All of the illumination is controlled through a single simple and intuitive software interface!

plastic part on a Digital Optical Comparator — Crisp and Clear image of plastic part (with no glare)

Different types of illumination, to make different features and defects stand out, are available. For example, our co-axial diffuse illumination is especially designed to produce uniform, shadow- and glare-free illumination. It is mounted on a “swing arm” to allow the operator to easily put it in position and retract it when it is not needed. And – again: it uses the latest LED technology and is computer-controlled by the system’s software. Also, our octant-based reflected illumination module projects off-axis reflected illumination from 8 different sectors resulting in overall illumination that is extremely uniform across the system’s entire field-of-view, with no “hot spot”

Adapted diffuse co-axial illumination module on a Digital Optical Comparator — Adapted diffuse co-axial illumination module.

The octant-based illumination produces extremely uniform off-axis illumination to completely remove shadows even on parts with complex and unusual geometry.

The following images show the effect of the ” VGDOC-30-COAXRI ” light source on a reflective / shiny surface (in this case: the touch pad of a BlackBerry).

standard reflected illumination on VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator — Using standard reflected illumination

coax illumination on a Digital Optical Comparator — Using the "VGDOC-30-COAXRI" illumination module

Orthopaedic tibial plate inspected at 10x magnification with regular illumination on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator

An orthopaedic tibial plate inspected at 10x with coax illumination on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator

Orthopaedic Tibial Plate Inspection at 50X magnification with coax illumination on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator

Images of an orthopaedic tibial plate implant. On the left: using standard reflected illumination and on the right: using the “VGDOC-30-COAXRI” illumination module

Learn more about how the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator overcomes the limitations of traditional optical comparators when inspecting medical plastic/polymer implants.

Please contact us for more information including a detailed spec sheet, a “Frequently Asked Questions” document, pricing, etc…

500 Series Digital Optical Comparators

The VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator (Patented & Other Patents Pending) is a fully-digital drop-in replacement for traditional optical comparators. It works directly with your part’s CAD data and doesn’t require any overlays or mylars.

Enhanced with patented technology and sub-pixel accuracy, this optical contour projector will allow you to perform high-accuracy measurements, automatically compare parts against their CAD drawings, and speed up your inspection process.

The system is robust and extremely easy to use, and with its advanced, patented CAD Auto-Align™ and CAD Auto-Pass/Fail™ tools, operators can compare parts to their CAD data completely automatically, directly on the shop floor or in a Quality Control lab.

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators eliminate operator error and can automatically collect complete electronic documentation including measurements, statistics, Pass/Fail results, a high-resolution image of the part with its CAD overlay, etc.

The VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator can also be integrated into an automated work cell and controlled via Ethernet or RS-232 communications.

digital optical comparator automatic part alignment

Contact us today for more information about our 500 Series Digital Optical Comparators and our optical comparator prices.

Advantages

Advantages of Our Profile Projector

As the only completely digital optical comparator on the market, the 500 Series is powerful and versatile enough to measure both small and large parts.

Compared with traditional optical comparators, our VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are competitively priced and offer numerous benefits:

They produce a very high contrast image with very sharp edge profiles so it is easily viewed in full daylight.
They are much more accurate.
Users are much more productive and get more work done with a single machine.
Our patented CAD Auto-Align™ and CAD Auto-Pass/Fail™ tools and our patent-pending Tooth Checker™ tools are included.
The part’s deviation from nominal can be computed, displayed, and compared to bi-directional tolerances.
Review, report, and label Auto Pass/Fail cross sections with Advanced Analysis and Reporting tools
Work directly with the CAD data so no overlays / templates / Mylars™ are required.
Collect images (with/without the CAD data overlay and annotations), measurements, and data.
Execute fully automated measurements (like a video CMM).
Automatically send measurements, statistics, and data to Excel™ or other external applications.
The systems have a smaller footprint and use less floor space.
They can be moved much more easily without requiring re-calibration (i.e. “rolling cart” configuration is standard).
They have a much greater optical depth of field, i.e. (“everything is in focus all at once”).
They have a longer optical working distance (i.e. more clearance between the part and the lens).
You can compare a part to its CAD data beyond the optical field-of-view! (because the CAD data tracks the part and follows the stage motion).
The systems have LED illumination for very stable illumination over a 10 year life. No more bulbs to change!

Thanks to their advanced patented technology, VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are much faster, much more accurate, and easier to use than traditional optical comparators.

And while traditional optical comparators require an overlay (i.e. a template or transparency), with the VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator everything is done electronically so that there are no more templates! You will never again have to buy, print, calibrate, verify, identify, trace, manage, and physically store, and retrieve another template. No more template-related costs, delays, or errors. The VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator works directly with your CAD data.

Digital Optical Comparators work directly with your CAD data. No more overlays.

Through their barcode reader and joystick interface, these systems are extremely intuitive and require only minimal operator training. The system can also be setup to allow on-screen measurements, to collect measurement statistics, and to save the image of the part with its superimposed CAD drawing, etc… Because they are fully digital, these systems allow you to collect complete digital records of the inspection and measurement operations.

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are competitively priced and have a very simple yearly calibration procedure that you can carry out yourself.

Its automation capabilities and user-friendly design make the 500 Series the fastest optical comparator in the industry. We’ll be happy to set up a configuration that meets your job requirements and helps you increase inspection productivity. Please contact us for more information including a detailed spec sheet, a “Frequently Asked Questions” document, pricing, etc…

Features

500 Series Additional Features

The 500 Series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator comes standard with a 12″ travel X-axis stage with 0.5 micron resolution encoder and protective bellows around the 6″ travel Y-axis column. All 3 axes (X, Y and Z) have high-accuracy crossed-roller movements for optimal linearity and positional repeatability and high load carrying capability.

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are complete, ready-to-run Windows-based solutions and are delivered network-ready.

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are available with transmitted (i.e. back) and / or reflected (i.e. front) illumination. All illumination is LED-based for very stable and repeatable illumination conditions over a very long life. Furthermore, the illumination is programmable and computer-controlled. Everything is done through a single simple and intuitive software interface!

The 500 Series comparators have power focus and auto-focus capabilities. They are available in industry standard 5X, 10X, 20X, 50X and 100X optical configurations, in either single or multi-mag configurations. Many other configurations are also available with custom workholding and fixtures, additional rotary stages, stage travel adjustments, coax illumination, and other digital optical comparator accessories. We can configure a system to meet your specific requirements!

An optional high-resolution LASER module is also available for depth & height measurements.

VISIONx offers both horizontal and vertical digital optical comparators. The systems include industry standard dovetail mounting grooves for easy part fixturing. A super-extended-travel configuration is also available, specifically designed for high-accuracy inspection of large and heavy parts.

Standard 12″ travel X-axis stage with protective bellows around the 6″ travel Y-axis column. All 3 axes (X, Y and Z) feature high-accuracy crossed-roller movements for optimal linearity and positional repeatability.

Hard chrome plated X-axis stage, made of hardened tooling steel and with dual standard dovetail grooves for easy part fixturing.

Reflected (i.e. front) illumination module or optional Octant-based Reflected Illumination

Overview Video

500 Series Configurations Gallery

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator 500 Series Vertical Configuration
VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator Super-Extended-Travel Configuration
48"x24"x12" Super-Large XYZ Travel VisionGauge® system
VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator 500 Series Horizontal Configuration

300 Series Field-of-View Systems

The 300 Series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are extremely cost effective Field-of-View Systems that are ideal for smaller parts (up to 5.5″ x 3.3″).

They have an extended depth-of-field for tall parts (as high as 4″) and a long working distance that provides ample clearance and room to work between the part and the lens.

They produce a stunning super-high-resolution image to carry out fine, detailed inspections.

Three different types of LED illumination are standard: collimated back, front off-axis (i.e. “dark field”) and front on-axis (i.e. “bright field”). This allows the system to produce crisp, sharp edges and perform beautifully even when working with hard-to-image materials (for example: shiny, reflective or even translucent surfaces) and difficult geometries (such as deep holes).

VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators are complete, ready-to-run Windows-based solutions. They are delivered network-ready and include on-site installation, NIST-traceable calibration & training.

The 300 Series Field-of-View Systems are desktop instruments that have all of the functionality of the 500 Series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators, with the sole exception that they are limited to smaller parts.

Overlay before CAD Auto-Alignment Overlay after CAD Auto-Alignment

Proprietary CAD Auto-Align™ and CAD Auto Pass/Fail™ tools work almost instantly
and produce very accurate, operator-independent results

Diameter FOV measurement on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator — Fast and accurate automated measurements

FOV distance measurement on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator

Reverse Engineering a part on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator — Reverse Engineer a part...

Desktop Configuration Dimensions of a 300 Series VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator — Main unit overall dimensions (Model # VG300DOC-30V-20X)

Desktop Configuration Base Plate Dimensions of a 300 Series VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator — All-purpose mounting hole pattern for easy & flexible part fixturing (in the case where parts are to be fixtured)

Quickly and easily check flexible and other hard-to-inspect parts against their CAD data on a VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator — Quickly and easily check flexible and other hard-to-inspect parts against their CAD data

300 Series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparators – Field-of-View Systems

400 Series Desktop Inspection and Measurement Systems

The 400 Series VisionGauge® Digital Optical Comparator is a state-of-the-art inspection and measurement system. It’s a compact desktop optical comparator that still provides a large working envelope. This system is especially well suited for lower volume applications.

These optical inspection systems offer operator-driven, manual stage movement across 3 axes and are available in both horizontal and vertical configurations. Despite it being a small optical comparator, the system is performance-oriented with high-resolution, precision optics and ultra-bright LED computer-controlled illumination for sharp and clear images. A single high-resolution monitor is provided to see the entire image at once, with a secondary monitor as an option.

The 400 Series is a very cost-effective, full-featured inspection and measurement system that has all of the advanced, patented VisionGauge® software capabilities, including CAD Auto-Align™ and CAD Auto-Pass/Fail™ software tools, and our patent-pending Tooth Checker™ tool for fast, accurate, and operator-independent Part-to-CAD comparison. Compare parts to their CAD file beyond the optical field-of-view, across the entire stage travel! Results are easy to report with automatic image & data collection and built-in SPC and data-exchange capabilities.

An optional laser module enhances height/depth measurement capabilities in the Z axis, and additional customizations are also possible to solve your application.