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Even in the early days of machine vision, when no one understood the importance of lighting, fiber optic lighting was only considered as a last resort, mostly due to cost. Over time, the industry began to understand the value of fiber optic lighting technology; it has a great ability to shape the illumination for a

When the vision industry was just a fledgling niche technology, everyone invested all their time in software and video technology. Nobody ever considered the role lighting plays in application effectiveness. Any type or method of lighting would do; the camera coupled with the software would distinguish important features and the computer would perform the proper

What is hyperspectral imaging? Humans see shape, features, color, and texture, and make decisions regarding these characteristics because visible spectrum light energy reflects off objects, is captured by the eye’s lens, imaged on the eye’s retina, and (finally) gets interpreted by the brain. Similar to the vision process above, hyperspectral imaging uses the infrared region

As a leading manufacturer of fiber optic components and systems, we’ve worked with many applications over the last 50 years, particularly in the medical industry. Recently, we’ve noticed customers’ increasing attention to packaging requirements. What follows below is typical scenario for a disposable product. You’ve just completed documenting the commercial requirements for your next medical

If you’re a fiber optic user, you know that light output is cast as a cone, like a broad beam flashlight. For many applications, this is exactly what’s expected for general illumination. Sometimes, the application can’t use a broad beam; maybe the user is trying to control the spot size, focus or diffuse the output,

The term “Randomization” is really a misnomer in the world of fiber optics. As it relates to fiber optics, “randomization” is actually a purposeful placement of fibers within a ferrule. The process itself can be automated or done by hand. Varying degrees (and types) of randomization result from various methods used. Most randomization processes are

During the last three decades, the advancement and adoption of both solid-state laser and fiber laser systems have increased dramatically. They are particularly important in the industrial, medical, scientific, military/defense, semiconductor capital equipment sectors. The days of delivering laser beams through free space optics or cumbersome, bulky, and expensive articulating arms have long passed. The

Step index silica optical fibers are made from a synthetic silica core and a cladding material with a lower index of refraction than the core. This combination assures the clad contains light within the core and allows that light to travel at many different angles through the core. Step index silica optical fibers are typically

Silica (commonly referred to as quartz) fiber bundle assemblies are photon delivery subsystems consisting of many small individual silica fibers, bundled together and combined in either a custom machine-made ferrule or off-the-shelf connector housings designed for use as end fittings. A heavy-duty bundle sheathing is typically incorporated to protect the bundle assembly from damage during