Thermoelectric cooler maintains advanced inspection in machine vision systems
By combining image-processing and pattern-recognition techniques, machine vision systems provide advanced inspection in quality control, robotics and wire bonding. These performance levels relay on active cooling to ensure high resolution images, explains Laird Thermal Systems. Next-generation vision systems will also encompass artificial intelligence (AI) for facial recognition and object recognition. Laird Thermal Systems has introduced the HiTemp ETX thermoelectric cooler which can be used to keep the operating temperature below its maximum limit and prevent image quality from deteriorating.
The machine vision system’s image quality will typically degrade when the CCD and CMOS imaging sensors’ operating temperature exceeds 50 degrees C. Passive cooling techniques may be sufficient for indoor machine vision systems but outdoor applications often exceed 40 degrees C, requiring an active cooling solution. The thermal solution used must fit tight geometrical space constraints, to prevent thermal shorting and protect sensors from moisture intrusion and outgassing.
Solid state thermoelectric coolers use the Peltier effect to create a temperature differential (delta T) to transfer heat from one side of the module to the other. They are integrated directly into the machine vision sensor assembly and require a heat sink or other heat exchanger to rapidly dissipate heat away from sensitive camera components.
Supporting machine vision applications operating in temperatures between 80 to 120 degrees C, the HiTemp ETX series of thermoelectric coolers offers a cooling capacity from 7.7 up to 322W in a compact form factor. Standard thermoelectric materials can reach temperature differentials up to 78 degrees C with Th=50 degrees C, the HiTemp ETX Series thermoelectric cooler creates a maximum temperature differential (delta T) of 83 degrees C.
Andrew Dereka, product director of Laird Thermal Systems, explained the HiTemp ETX thermoelectric cooler “is assembled with advanced thermoelectric materials that boost cooling capacity by up to 10 per cent”. He added that the robust module construction allows it to operate in high temperature environments where standard thermoelectric coolers fail.
There are over 50 models with a variety of heat pumping capacities, sizes and voltage inputs in the HiTemp ETX series to meet a broad range of applications.
