About Area Scan Camera

Introduction

Area scan cameras are critical imaging devices widely adopted in industrial automation and machine vision applications. These cameras quickly and precisely capture detailed two-dimensional images, making them invaluable in quality control, measurement tasks, and robotic guidance across various sectors, including electronics, automotive, pharmaceuticals, packaging, and logistics. Area scan cameras offer the distinct advantage of capturing an entire scene in a single exposure, providing high-resolution images suitable for analyzing static or moderately moving objects. Their ease of integration and versatile functionality significantly streamline industrial processes, enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and productivity.

Understanding Area Scan Cameras

Area scan cameras are digital imaging systems that capture a full two-dimensional image in a single exposure. They rely on a rectangular array of pixels (a sensor matrix) to acquire a complete frame at once, functioning much like a high-performance snapshot camera. This method stands in contrast to line scan cameras, which capture one line of pixels at a time and require either the object or camera to move in order to assemble a full image. The ability to instantly grab a full frame allows area scan cameras to image stationary or slow-moving objects without the need for motion synchronization, making them highly versatile for a wide variety of machine vision applications.

Built for use in industrial environments, area scan cameras combine durability, speed, and precision. They are a cornerstone of many automation systems where parts need to be inspected, measured, or tracked in real time. With models ranging from a few megapixels to over 100 megapixels, area scan cameras are used to capture high-resolution images in industries such as electronics manufacturing, automotive, packaging, pharmaceuticals, and robotics. Modern versions integrate CMOS sensor technology and fast data interfaces like USB3, GigE Vision, and CoaXPress, enabling high throughput and easy integration into complex vision systems.

Why Area Scan Cameras Matter

Area scan cameras are essential to modern industrial automation because they simplify imaging while maintaining high accuracy and flexibility. Their ability to provide a detailed full-frame image means engineers and vision systems can analyze multiple features in a single shot, reducing complexity and inspection time. Whether it's checking for defects on a PCB, reading a barcode on a package, or guiding a robot to pick up parts, area scan cameras provide consistent, high-quality visual data that can drive automated decision-making.

Area scan models are generally easy to deploy and maintain. They do not require precise object motion or encoder feedback, which simplifies system design. This makes them particularly well-suited for applications where parts are intermittently stationary, or where objects fit entirely within the field of view. Moreover, the growing availability of advanced sensor technologies, such as global shutter CMOS and high-dynamic-range sensors, has extended the performance envelope of area scan cameras to cover more challenging scenarios including fast motion, low light, and demanding resolution needs.

Their speed, ease of use, and ability to deliver full-scene imaging in real time make them indispensable in any application requiring reliable and accurate visual inspection, measurement, or object recognition.

Principle of Operation

An area scan camera operates by combining a lens, an image sensor, and internal electronics to capture high-quality digital images. When the camera takes a picture, the lens focuses incoming light from the scene onto the image sensor, which is typically a rectangular grid of photosensitive pixels. Each pixel detects the amount of light it receives and stores an electrical charge in proportion to that intensity. After the exposure time ends, the stored charges are read out and converted into digital values, resulting in a full-frame image that represents the entire scene at a single point in time.

Shutter Mechanism

Area scan cameras typically use either a global shutter or a rolling shutter to control exposure. A global shutter exposes all the pixels across the sensor at the same time, freezing the entire image at a single moment. This is especially important when imaging moving objects, as it prevents distortions and motion blur. A rolling shutter, on the other hand, exposes pixels sequentially row by row. While this method supports higher resolution and can be more cost-effective, it may cause image distortions if the object or camera is moving during capture. In industrial applications where accuracy and clarity are critical, global shutters are generally preferred.

Sensor Technology

Older area scan cameras often used CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensors, known for their low noise and uniform image quality. These were ideal for applications requiring high image fidelity. However, most modern area scan cameras now use CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensors. CMOS sensors support faster readout, lower power consumption, and the integration of advanced on-chip functions. This allows for higher frame rates and more flexibility in system design. CMOS global shutter sensors, such as Sony’s Pregius series, have become the standard in industrial imaging due to their ability to capture sharp, high-resolution images even during motion.

Data Output and Interface

After the image is captured and digitized, the data must be transmitted to a processing system. Area scan cameras use high-speed digital interfaces to transfer full-frame images quickly and reliably. Common interfaces include GigE Vision, USB3 Vision, Camera Link, and CoaXPress. These standards enable the transmission of high-resolution images at high frame rates without bottlenecks. Some of the latest models utilize advanced connections like 10 GigE, USB3.1, or CoaXPress 2.0 to support demanding applications.

In essence, an area scan camera captures a snapshot through its lens and pixel matrix, converts the light data into digital form, and transmits it at high speed for analysis or storage. This cycle can repeat many times per second, supporting continuous, real-time inspection and measurement in industrial and automation environments.

Overview of Area Scan Camera Types

Area scan cameras are available in several distinct configurations, enabling users to choose the optimal solution based on specific application requirements and performance criteria. Here are the primary types to consider:

Monochrome vs. Color Cameras

Monochrome cameras capture grayscale images, excelling in applications where detecting edges, subtle contrasts, or fine details is critical, such as defect detection or metrology. In contrast, color cameras employ RGB filters to produce color images essential for applications needing accurate color identification, such as product sorting, labeling verification, and quality assurance in food production.

Global Shutter vs. Rolling Shutter

Global shutter sensors expose all pixels simultaneously, capturing distortion-free images of fast-moving objects, crucial in dynamic environments such as assembly lines or robotics. Rolling shutter sensors expose pixels sequentially, making them more cost-effective and suited for static or slow-moving imaging conditions, though potentially vulnerable to motion distortion.

Interface and Form Factor

Area scan cameras feature various connectivity options, including USB3 Vision, GigE Vision, 10GigE, Camera Link, and CoaXPress, each suited to different data throughput and integration requirements. The physical form factors range from standard enclosed industrial designs for conventional applications to compact or board-level formats for embedded and space-constrained installations.

Understanding these variations assists engineers and system integrators in selecting cameras that best align with their specific technical demands and operational environments.

Area Scan Camera Series

Area scan cameras come in several series, each designed to address specific application needs and performance requirements in industrial imaging. Understanding the characteristics of each camera series helps users select the most suitable option for their vision systems.

CU Series

The CU Series offers a balanced solution with stable performance and high cost efficiency. Designed for general-purpose machine vision tasks, CU cameras are available in resolutions from 0.4MP to 12MP and primarily use rolling shutter sensors. They support GigE Vision and USB3.0 interfaces, with optional Power over Ethernet (PoE). CU Series cameras are compact, energy-efficient, and compatible with a wide voltage input range, making them ideal for standard inspection, alignment, and detection applications.

CH Series

The CH Series is optimized for precision imaging tasks that require high dynamic range and minimal motion distortion. These cameras use global shutter sensors and offer resolutions from 0.4MP to 20MP. They are engineered with four-sided installation options and support both GigE Vision and USB3.0 interfaces. Their robust design and superior imaging capabilities make the CH Series suitable for applications in electronics manufacturing, medical devices, and semiconductor inspection.

CS Series

CS Series cameras represent the second generation of area scan imaging with enhanced resolution, speed, and cooling features. Ranging from 5MP up to 604MP, CS models support high-performance interfaces including GigE, 10GigE, USB3.0, Camera Link, CoaXPress (CXP-6/12), and X-over-Fiber. Many models include active fan or TEC (thermoelectric cooling), allowing stable operation in high-speed or high-resolution applications. The CS Series is ideal for advanced inspection systems, large field-of-view imaging, and demanding automated optical inspection (AOI) setups.

CB Series

The CB Series is designed for embedded vision and compact systems. These board-level cameras are available from 0.4MP to 12MP and offer both RJ45 and WTB GigE Vision interfaces as well as USB3.0. With flexible lens mounting options including board-level, C-mount, and S-mount, CB cameras are well suited for custom OEM integration, portable instruments, and mobile device testing platforms. Their split-structure design supports thermal optimization and space-limited installations.

CI Series

The CI Series specializes in imaging outside the visible spectrum, covering Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) and Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) bands. Models are available in 0.3MP and 1.3MP resolutions and come with advanced cooling options (TEC or fanless versions) to support stable thermal imaging. These cameras are ideal for silicon wafer inspection, thermal monitoring, material classification, and electronics reliability testing.

Each camera series is backed by a consistent software ecosystem and a wide selection of compatible lenses, lighting, and frame grabbers, enabling full integration into vision systems tailored to industrial demands. Whether the application calls for compact and efficient cameras or ultra-high-resolution models with robust thermal control, the variety of area scan camera types ensures a match for nearly any inspection or imaging challenge.

Key Features and Advantages of Area Scan Cameras

Area scan cameras provide a wide range of technical advantages that make them foundational to industrial imaging systems. Each camera series, CU, CH, CS, CB, and CI, offers specific capabilities suited to different performance needs, enabling flexible deployment in quality control, inspection, and automation tasks.

High Resolution Across Series

From compact models to ultra-high-resolution systems, area scan cameras offer pixel resolutions from under 1 MP (as in CU or CB series) to over 600 MP in the CS series. This resolution range supports everything from basic inspection tasks to advanced defect detection and high-detail image capture in applications like PCB inspection, AOI, and high-speed industrial sorting. CS series cameras, in particular, are built for large field-of-view imaging and ultra-precise measurement.

Shutter Flexibility

CU and CB series utilize rolling shutter CMOS sensors for cost-effective solutions in static or slow-moving applications. In contrast, CH and CS series employ global shutter technology, which freezes motion and eliminates image distortion. This makes them the better fit for tasks where motion clarity and minimal blur are essential, such as tracking, counting, or robotic operations.

Multiple Interface Options

Area scan models across the portfolio are equipped with high-speed interfaces like USB3, GigE, 10 GigE, CoaXPress, and Camera Link. CU and CH series support USB3 and GigE for compact integration, while CS models offer bandwidth-intensive interfaces such as 10 GigE, CoaXPress, and even X-over-Fiber, enabling high-resolution, high-FPS streaming to host PCs and embedded systems.

Compact and Embedded-Friendly Designs

CB Series cameras are optimized for embedded systems, OEM applications, and custom device integration. Their board-level format and flexible mounting options (C-mount, S-mount, board mount) make them ideal for space-constrained environments or portable instrumentation. These are commonly used in mobile test benches, handheld diagnostic tools, and compact inspection machines.

Applications of Area Scan Cameras

Area scan cameras play a critical role across a wide range of industrial and scientific applications where precise two-dimensional imaging is essential. Their ability to capture high-resolution, full-frame images in real time makes them ideal for tasks requiring visual inspection, measurement, alignment, and guidance.

In advanced manufacturing environments, area scan cameras are used to inspect components on high-speed production lines, verify product quality, and detect surface defects or assembly errors. Their integration into automated systems allows for continuous monitoring and closed-loop control, improving throughput while reducing downtime and scrap.

In the electronics and semiconductor sectors, area scan cameras enable detailed inspection of printed circuit boards, microelectronic components, and wafer surfaces, where even the smallest irregularities can affect performance. Their high pixel density and fast readout speeds support precise AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) with minimal latency.

Packaging, labeling, and pharmaceutical industries rely on area scan cameras for verifying printed information, checking seal integrity, and identifying damaged or incorrect items—all without interrupting production flow. In robotic systems, they serve as the primary visual input for guidance, positioning, and object detection.

Beyond manufacturing, area scan cameras are used in medical devices, laboratory imaging, and scientific research where high-fidelity image capture and analysis are required. Their adaptability to various lighting conditions, object types, and inspection criteria makes them a versatile solution for both standardized and customized vision applications.

By combining performance, reliability, and ease of integration, area scan cameras continue to drive innovation and operational efficiency in industries where visual data is a cornerstone of quality and productivity.

Area Scan Cameras vs. Line Scan Cameras

In industrial machine vision, area scan and line scan cameras represent the two principal imaging technologies, each tailored to specific inspection challenges. Area scan cameras are engineered to capture a full two-dimensional image in a single exposure, which is ideal for inspecting stationary objects, guiding robots, or performing measurements when the entire part fits within the camera’s field of view.

Line scan cameras, on the other hand, are built to scan moving objects or continuous materials using a single row of pixels, assembling a complete image line by line as the target passes through the field of view. This architecture is particularly effective for applications involving fast-moving webs, long materials, or surfaces that cannot be imaged in one shot.

While both technologies are foundational in industrial automation, their core differences determine their optimal use. Area scan cameras are preferred when objects can be positioned or paused for imaging and when quick, high-resolution snapshots are needed.

Line scan cameras provide unmatched performance for inspecting continuous or rapidly moving materials, such as textiles, paper, or extruded products, and for high-speed processes where objects cannot be stopped for imaging. Line scan cameras excel at capturing long or moving targets with high effective resolution, but require precise synchronization between object movement and image acquisition. Lighting design is also specialized for line scan systems to ensure even illumination along the scan line.

Choosing between area scan and line scan cameras depends on factors such as object size, motion dynamics, inspection speed, and the nature of the material or product. Area scan cameras offer flexible, high-quality imaging for a wide variety of tasks, while line scan cameras are the preferred solution for continuous web inspection and other applications involving unlimited object length or high-speed motion.