How to trigger line scan camera with encoder?

[mate47]

Hi!

I am using:

• Tichawa compact image sensor (its like a line scan camera)
• PCIe 1433 
• I/O extension board
• motor with build in encoder

I also created a camera file, since NI doesn't offer one for Tichawa.

Now to the problem. Tichawa offers a simple programe to comunicate with the camera and set the atributes. If it is set to freerun, I can actualy capture images in MAX. But when I set it to trigger mode I can't capture anything. The trigger should be the encoder which is conected to A+, A-, B+ and B- line on the I/O extension board. I guess something is wrong when trying to trigger the aquistion via CC1. I am not sure how to do that. I guess I have to set something in camera file or what? Any idea?

I found this:

http://forums.ni.com/t5/Machine-Vision/How-to-route-Quadrature-Encoder-signal-to-CC1-using-PCIe-1429...

but I am not sure what to do at step3.

Second step would be to set the atributes of the camera. IN the Tichawa maunal there is a whole list of comands for seting the camera tributes. I can set the using ticaha software, but I want to do that from Labview.

If there is someone who used tichawa before plese contact me 🙂

Matej

[stockson]

Hi Matej,

the PCIe-1433 is a Camera Link interface, which is capable of sending serial commands. If you cannot set particular parameters in MAX, you can do that manually. An example showing how to do that in Basler A500 cameras is here:

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-5049

What do you mean by saying that you don't know what to do in step 3?

BR,

[mate47]

Thank you for your help, but I don't think the folowing link helped me. Attached I am sending the data sheet of my CIS. Please take a look at page 20-25. Thos eare the singlas I should send over the serial port in Camera link. I can't do that with IMAQ Serial Write.vi Whatever string I send nothig seems to work.

Matej 

[The_Seeker]

Matej,

Did you ever sort out your CIS triggering issue? (I have encountered cameras more than once in the past where the CameraLink serial spec was not properly documented.)

The first thing to try is to verify whether the camera is being properly set to an encoder-triggered acquisition. Can you verify this in the software config utility supplied by the manufacturer? I have no specific experience with this particular camera, but generally, if you are able to get into the encoder-sync mode using the manufacturer's config utility, you should be able get the encoder sync working with the NI stuff.

Eventually, you may need to sort out the serial issues (in order to change modes programmatically), but you can address that later, after the camera is working as expected.

(Another alternative is to select a camera with a pre-existing NI camera file. You may pay more up front for the camera, but after you factor in the engineering time it takes to overcome these sorts of issues, it may actually be more cost-effective in the long run.)

-- Dave