Adding GigE camera to existing 3DL application. Which are compatible?

    I have two robots that are using 3dl already. I need to add a GigE camera to each with higher focal length lenses to do a quality check. I successfully added a Basler acA1300-30gm that I was able to borrow from another robot and it worked flawlessly.

    Now I got a sticker shock when I got a quote from Fanuc for the acA1300-30gm cameras, I thought they would be a couple hundred dollars. I tried sourcing it from other vendors, but the lead time is very long. In addition, I found out that the camera is obsolete.

    So here are my questions:

    - can I use third party GigE cameras or do only specific ones work? Any direct replacement for the Basler acA1300-30gm?

    - if its only specific ones, would the acA1920-48gm work for all robots or only specific versions. It was specifically mentioned by a guy from Fanuc to work for this application, but I would want to make sure that it works for another robot in my plant as well.

    Thanks in advance

  • Go to Best Answer

    Hello,

    if you have roboguide installed, check this folder:

    "c:\ProgramData\FANUC\FRVRC Media\V9.40\product\gige\"
    check the ".cam" files e.g. b_aca1920_48gm.cam --> acA1920-48gm

    .. so this is a "compatibility list" for your specific Controller-Version (V9.4,V9.1)

    You can also check the FR or MD device at the real controller for ".cam" files

    I tried that by myself.

    First I borrowed and then bought a camera from a "basler" reseller.

    Best regards

    PnsStarter

    Thank you that helps alot!

    Does using a color camera make any difference? That's the only one I can find in stock.

    • Best Answer
    Quote from HawkME

    Some color cameras have less positional accuracy than Black/white.

    IIRC, as a general rule of thumb, a color camera has technically 1/3 the resolution of a greyscale camera of the same pixel size. In practice, it's not nearly that bad b/c the software can generally do sub-pixel interpolation, but there's definitely a loss of resolution.

    This is because all the pixel sensors are greyscale. A "color" camera has a Bayer Filter or something similar over the sensor, and in the same space where a greyscale camera would have three pixels, the color camera has one red, one green, and one blue pixel. The color image is reproduced by the software, b/c it knows which pixels on the camera are receiving which color.

    Also, a color camera may need more intense light or different aperture, b/c the Bayer Filter causes some loss of intensity of received light.

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