Precise to the microsecond: Industrial cameras with Precision Time Protocol

Baumer is equipping 25 camera models of the LX and CX series with the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) according to the IEEE 1588 Standard, in support of precise time synchronization in Ethernet networks. This allows applications to benefit from all advantages of a PTP-supported inspection system: synchronized recording of images by multiple cameras, simplified allocation of images to triggers, as well as unambiguous identification and allocation of process data. As an increasing number of machine components must operate with a cross-system uniform time basis, cameras with PTP support contribute to simplify system design and integration, potentially resulting in cost reduction, especially with multi-camera operations. Baumer PTP cameras can be precisely synchronized to 1 µs and support a Master and Slave Mode as well as Scheduled Action Commands. This is particularly useful for applications in which the images of several cameras must be captured in sync from different perspectives, for example to generate a precisely composed image of a large object. The first PTP models of the CX series and 10 GigE LX cameras with interfaces for copper or fiber optic cables are already available.