TMflow Software version: TMflow 2.20 or above versions
TM Robot Hardware version: HW3.2 or above versions
Note: Older or newer software versions may have different results.
Obtaining Hardware #
How to Select a Camera, Lens, and IO Trigger Cables #
The flying capture function requires a high-performance industrial camera and a suitable lens. Below are the recommended specifications:
Camera Selection: This function requires an external camera and can only be used with TM Plug&Play Basler cameras with a global shutter type.
Lens Selection : Refer to the lens selection page on the Basler website and choose an appropriate lens based on the working distance and field of view.
IO trigger Line Connector
Ace and Ace 2 camera have different IO trigger line connector. If you need to purchase cables, you can visit the Basler website for selection.
For the selection of cameras and lenses mentioned above, you can also refer to the technical document How to choose a camera, lens and light source
How to Select Light Source and Light Controller #
There are various options for the light source. In this article, we use a light source from the manufacturer 3AM
For light source:
Different application scenarios require different light sources. Refer to the Technical Document How to choose a camera, lens and light source
For light controller:
If you need to synchronize the light source with the camera capture, your dimmer must support external IO control. For example, the GLC-PD24V30W-2CH dimmer from 3AM includes external IO control settings, as mentioned in its user manual (see the diagram below).
How to Mount Camera and Light Source on the Robot #
For mounting the camera and light source, we provide a Camera Bracket to install them onto our robot. As for the light source installation, since the shape of each light source varies, you can design a mounting adapter that fits your light source based on the hole positions provided by the Camera Bracket.
Wire Configuration #
During flying trigger, you can choose whether the light source should only illuminate when the camera captures an image or keep it continuously on while the robot triggers the camera. Synchronizing the light source with the camera can extend the lifespan of the light source and minimize the impact of strong light on surrounding personnel.
The following introduces two scenarios:
- Robot triggers the camera without controlling the light source – The light remains continuously on.
- Robot triggers the camera, and the camera controls the light source – The light source only illuminates during image capture and remains off otherwise.
Basler cameras include the Ace and Ace 2 series, each requiring different trigger cables and wiring methods. The following sections will provide separate introductions for Ace and Ace 2.
Robot triggers the camera without controlling the light source #
In this scenario, since the camera does not need to trigger the light source, we only need to configure the wiring for the robot to trigger the camera capture.
Ace Camera #
- The pin descriptions for the cable are as follows.
- Camera-Side robot input signal trigger configurations.
Based on the wiring diagrams provided by the robot control box (Please refer to the TM Robot manual) and the Basler camera input, you can complete the configuration for the robot to trigger the camera using the following wiring diagram.
Ace2 Camera #
- The pin descriptions for the cable are as follows.
- Camera-Side robot input signal trigger configurations.
Based on the wiring diagrams provided by the robot control box (Please refer to the TM Robot manual) and the Basler camera input, you can complete the configuration for the robot to trigger the camera using the following wiring diagram.
Robot triggers the camera, and the camera controls the light source #
In this scenario, in addition to configuring the wiring for the robot to trigger the camera, it is also necessary to set up the camera output to trigger the light source.
To simultaneously trigger the light source while capturing images with the camera, it is necessary to ensure that at least two I/O lines are available. The following is a reference based on Basler specifications.
Ace Camera #
- The pin descriptions for the cable are as follows
- Camera-Side robot input signal trigger configurations
- Camera-Side synchronization trigger wiring for light source
Based on the wiring diagrams provided by the robot control box (Please refer to the TM Robot manual) and the Basler camera input, it is also necessary to connect the camera to the dimmer’s external IO. The following wiring diagram illustrates how to complete the configuration for the robot to trigger the camera.
Ace2 Camera #
- The pin descriptions for the cable are as follows.
- Camera-Side robot input signal trigger configurations.
- Camera-Side synchronization trigger wiring for light source.
Based on the wiring diagrams provided by the robot control box (Please refer to the TM Robot manual) and the Basler camera input, you can complete the configuration for the robot to trigger the camera using the following wiring diagram.
Note:
When selecting the resistor, refer to Basler’s maximum current limit (50mA). For a 24V control box, the resistor value must not be lower than 24V / 0.05A = 480Ω.
For more detailed information, please refer to the Basler official website:
Pylon Setting #
If synchronizing the light source, you must use Pylon to configure and write the light source settings into the camera.
Connect the camera to a personal computer and launch pylon. For installation and usage instructions, please refer to the following website
Next, adjust the light source synchronization settings. Click on Digital I/O Controls, set Line Selector to Line 2, Line Mode to Output, and Line Source to Exposure Active.
Finally, save all parameters to User Set 1. This configuration will be stored on the camera.
Hardware Setting #
1. Open TMflow and connect to the camera.
You can follow the steps below for configuration, as outlined in the TM Robot User Manual
2. Through Configuration > Vision Settings, select flying trigger camera, set the exposure time to 3000µs as an initial value.
3. Set the dimmer brightness to 100% (maximum brightness).
4. Adjust the aperture to ensure the depth of field meets the inspection requirements.
5. Adjust the focus to ensure that the target object features are uniformly and clearly captured.
Note:
If Brightness is Insufficient, Adjust Light Source or Gain
- Use a Brighter Light Source or Increase Dimmer Output.
- Adjusting gain can increase brightness but may introduce image noise.
If the brightness is still insufficient, you can increase the exposure time to the range of 3000–5000µs, but this may introduce motion blur risk.
6. Perform Intrinsic Parameter Calibration
Refer to the Technical Document Notice on External Camera Calibration for detailed calibration steps.
Software Setting #
This section provides guidance on setting up the flying capture function in TMflow. Note that the following configurations are based on specific hardware setups.
Refer to the How To Use Flying Trigger Node – Take server inspection as example for detailed TMflow software settings.
