Standardized camera module fits pharmaceutical needs

To create a range of camera modules that can be customized for its pharmaceutical packaging control systems, Laetus (Alsbach-Hähnlein, Germany) first defined a set of specifications. These included: a special housing to protect it from dirt and displacement; two FireWire port positioned at 90° angles to replace existing angle- and straight-mount types, elimination of the I/O port to reduce cabling, and adding a trigger board circuit. Two modular designs were needed: one with a conventional C-mount lens adapter and one with a compact M12 lens and an integrated LED light source.

The result is the Laetus iCAM, a compact camera module with an integrated LED flash. Inside the 100 x 60 x 40 mm housing are a modified Allied Vision Technologies (Stadtroda, Germany) Stingray board-level camera, a small M12 lens, and a two-color LED flash. Illumination with red, white, or UV LEDs is directly controlled by the camera and calibrated to its exposure time. “With this new module, the company has greatly reduced the variety of cameras in its systems,” says Günter Rodeck, director of product management at Laetus.