Moritex and Schott have introduced the LLS 2 light source for machine vision applications, combining LED and fibre optic technologies. The economical lighting system offers a lifetime of 50,000 hours, a colour temperature of 5,500K and a homogenous illumination intensity of 175kLx (measured after a 1,100mm light guide with an active diameter of 8mm at a working distance of 50mm).
High brightness LEDs are increasingly replacing conventional halogen solutions in applications with fibre optic light guides. The new generation of LEDs offer brighter illumination, a longer lifetime, lower heat generation and reduced power consumption (35W maximum). Most of the applications with 150W halogen light sources can now be realised with the LLS 2 LED light source. However, unless diffused, even the smallest LEDs can appear as individual points in a reflective application. Fibre optic light guides still offer the highest light homogeneity.
For process control and inspection in machine vision applications, specific lighting techniques, such as bright field and dark field, rear or back lighting, as well as directional or diffuse lighting, are key elements of successful analysis. By combining LED and fibre optic technologies, the LLS 2 LED light source offers an optimised system even for reflective applications. The new LED light source not only improves the performance of machine vision systems, but also significantly reduces both the time and costs for service and maintenance.
