Chapter 4
Lighting
NI 17xx Smart Camera User Manual
4-2
ni.com
Note
Additional/replacement plugs for use with the lighting connector, part number
780260-01, are available from NI.
Direct Drive Lighting Controller
This section applies only to the following NI Smart Cameras:
The NI Smart Camera offers an innovative lighting controller that directly
powers third-party current controlled lights. With other smart cameras,
a lighting controller that drives a light must be purchased separately.
The Direct Drive lighting controller is capable of powering a variety of
third-party lights.
For a current controlled light, higher current produces more light, up to the
maximum current rating of the light. The maximum current rating of the
light is specified by the manufacturer and based on the average amount of
power that can be safely dissipated by the light.
The Direct Drive controller can operate in continuous or strobed mode.
When operating in strobed mode, the controller can provide more current
to the light than in continuous mode. The average power dissipated while
strobing the light for a short period of time at a higher current can be
comparable to the average power dissipated while running the light
continuously at a lower current. Table 4-1 shows the maximum allowed
current for continuous mode and strobed mode.
For applications with a pause between exposures while new parts move into
position, you can strobe the light, which allows the use of higher current
and produces more light; thus you can reduce the exposure time. A shorter
exposure time decreases the time it takes to acquire an image and
potentially increases the total throughput of the system. Refer to the
section of Chapter 5,
, for more information
about exposure control.
•
NI 1742
•
NI 1762
•
NI 1744
•
NI 1764
Table 4-1.
Maximum Allowed Current for Direct Drive Lighting Controller
Maximum Strobed Current
Maximum Continuous Current
1 A
500 mA
