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Comparison and Application of Telecentric Lenses and Non-Telecentric Lenses

In the field of industrial machine vision, the choice of lenses plays a crucial role in determining image quality and measurement accuracy. Telecentric lenses and non-telecentric lenses (standard lenses) are two common types, each with distinct optical characteristics and application scenarios. This article will provide a detailed comparison of these lenses, covering their features, advantages, disadvantages, and applications in industrial machine vision.


Characteristics of Telecentric Lenses


Optical Features


Telecentric lenses are designed to address the parallax issues commonly found in traditional industrial lenses. Their light rays are nearly parallel, providing a consistent magnification regardless of the distance of the object from the lenses. This characteristic makes telecentric lenses particularly suitable for high-precision measurement and inspection.


Application Scenarios


Telecentric lenses are widely used in high-precision metrology, industrial measurement, and microscopic research. They are especially effective for accurate 3D shape measurement and inspection, particularly when the object's thickness exceeds 1/10 of the field of view diameter, objects are not located on the same plane and objects have complex 3D structures or apertures.


Advantages


  • Consistent Magnification: Regardless of depth of field variations, the magnification remains unchanged, making them ideal for measuring objects on different planes.


  • No Parallax: Due to the nearly parallel light rays, parallax is minimized, ensuring high measurement accuracy.


  • Low Distortion: Telecentric lenses are optimized to reduce distortion, especially at the edges, ensuring consistent image quality.


Suitable Scenarios


  • Measuring objects with thickness greater than 1/10 of the field of view diameter.


  • Inspecting objects on different planes.


  • Situations where the distance between the object and the lenses is uncertain.


  • Inspecting complex 3D structures or apertures.


  • Requirements for low distortion and consistent image quality.


  • Defect detection requiring inspection under parallel illumination.


Characteristics of Non-Telecentric Lenses


Advantages


  • Lower Cost: Non-telecentric lenses are more cost-effective and widely used, especially for imaging large objects.


  • Versatile Applications: Due to their affordability and applicability, they are commonly used in various industrial vision systems.


Disadvantages


  • Magnification Variation: The magnification of non-telecentric lenses changes with the object distance, leading to reduced measurement accuracy.


  • Parallax Issue: Image magnification changes with the object distance, causing parallax and impacting image quality.


Suitable Scenarios


  • Imaging large objects where measurement accuracy is not a primary concern.


  • Cost-sensitive applications like simple object recognition and positioning.


Applications in Industrial Machine Vision


Applications of Telecentric Lenses


  • High-Precision Measurement: In scenarios requiring high accuracy, such as semiconductor manufacturing and precision machining, telecentric lenses provide consistent magnification and low distortion for accurate results.


  • 3D Shape Measurement: Telecentric lenses effectively eliminate parallax, providing clear images for detailed analysis.


  • Complex Structure Inspection: For objects with intricate structures or apertures, telecentric lenses deliver high-quality images for accurate inspection.


Applications of Non-Telecentric Lenses


  • Large Object Imaging: Ideal for capturing images of large objects, such as in logistics sorting or large machinery component inspection.


  • Cost-Sensitive Scenarios: In simple object recognition and positioning tasks, non-telecentric lenses offer an economical solution that meets basic imaging requirements while reducing costs.