Q+A CENTER

In today’s ever-increasingly complicated imaging applications, it is clear that illumination is one of the single most important determinants of success. “Although it has traditionally been an after-thought, I find that recently, illumination has become a key part of the system design architecture,” said Sam Sadoulet, Corporate Director of Engineering, Edmund Optics (Barrington, N.J.). “The reality is that having the best software, sensor, or lens is an exercise in futility if the object is not lit correctly. The photography world has known this since its inception. The requirement to optimize illumination schemes has revolutionized the tools available to today’s engineers.”

“We are seeing more software solutions for modeling illumination system, more options to characterize sources and more development in non-sequential optical solutions. These are all key factors to implementing new illumination technologies,” he said.

The ideal illumination technology would answer the requirements for power, flexibility/control, structured output, lifetime and cost.

“There is clearly a shift happening industry-wide from traditional incandescent lamps to semiconductor devices such as diodes and LEDs,” said Sadoulet. “Semiconductor devices inherently offer flexibility and structured output making them ideal candidates in applications demanding stringent light control.”

With advances in machine vision and commercial applications lighting companies have stepped up to the plate by offering not only illumination solutions but also a diverse line of support products. “To be successful in the lighting industry, and to have the staying power that we have seen from the industry leaders, you must go beyond simply providing a few products and selling them catch as catch can,” said James O’Hanley, president of CCS America (Waltham, Mass.). “The successful lighting company will have a broad, diverse product line that addresses all aspects of machine vision needs. They will continually develop new product to adapt to new applications and to utilize new technologies.”