Automated and semi-automated production environments count on machine vision to perform functions that previously required human inspection. While programming and electronic sensing equipment can never replace human intuition and experience, it has served to be a cost savings method. Applications such as counting objects, reading serial numbers or bar codes, measuring product levels and defect checks can be accomplished quite accurately with the use of LED’s.

There are many reasons for the increased leveraging of LED developments in factory environments above other lighting and sensing options,

among those reasons are:

• Less Expensive – Always at the top of the list, is cost. All the benefits in the world still make it a hard sell to management if cost is not competitive other lighting means. IN recent years, the high use of LED applications have driven costs down to similar levels for initial costs with the innumerable benefits of LED use driving down it’s overall cost.
• Greater Design Flexibility – LED’s can be assembled in rings, strips or single ray applications. It can be bent or located remotely
  

  A robotic arm calibrates itself with an array of IR LEDs

  with the use of a light pipe. The LED size also allows it to be placed in many configurations where larger lighting sources may not fit. These amenable characteristics increase design options exponentially.

• Accuracy – LED’s are reliable and accurate in their application. So much so, that even the eventual intensity reduction can be predicted and addressed in a regular maintenance cycle instead of putting a machine or entire production line out of commission.
• Color Range – All ranges of lighting that are frequently required in machine design can be found in the LED market. This range includes everything from ultra violet to infrared.
• Light Uniformity – The uniformity of light that can be achieved with LED use is above any other stable lighting type.
• Low Power Consumption – LEDs use less power than other lighting types and can be powered from the PCB board. There is no need for the cost or space consumption that results from lighting with higher current demands.
• High Speed – A practically irreplaceable benefits of LEDs is their ability to withstand high frequency switching or strobing. Whether generating an automation signal or sending data, high speed switching offers an unlimited variety of implementation schemes.
• Long Life Cycle – LED life cycles reach 100,000 hours as opposed to approximately 1500 hours for other lighting types. This is a limitless benefit when downtime and client schedules are taken into account.

VCC offers a wide range of LED types, colors and configurations for machine vision applications. We offer through-hole, surface mount, high intensity and backlighting LEDs. Our pre-assembled cables and light pipes have been tested and certified for use in areas susceptible to rain, dust and sunlight. Visit our site or contact a VCC Optoelectronics Representative today for assistance in selecting the LEDs or LED assemblies for your application.