Automation Technology C2 Series User manual

C2 Series
User Manual
for High Speed 3D Sensors
Rev 1.9
AT - Automation Technology GmbH

Copyright
© 2019 Automation Technology GmbH
All rights reserved. No part of this document shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without
consent in writing from the owners, AT-Automation Technology GmbH.
Disclaimer
While care has been exercised in the preparation of this document to ensure that it is fully correct
and comprehensive, the owners assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any
liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. No license
is granted under any patents or patent right of AT –Automation Technology GmbH.
All nationally and internationally recognized trademarks and trade names are hereby acknowledged.
This document is subject to change without notification. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................1
C2 SERIES OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................4
Introduction............................................................................................................................................................4
The C2 Series General Specifications.......................................................................................................................5
The Sensor Specifications.......................................................................................................................................... 7
C2-640-GigE .......................................................................................................................................................... 7
C2-2040(HS)-GigE.................................................................................................................................................. 8
The Sensors Spectral Response................................................................................................................................. 9
Temperature Range (Operation/Storage) ............................................................................................................... 10
Heat Dissipation ...................................................................................................................................................... 10
General Guidelines for Heat Dissipation............................................................................................................. 10
Using the C2 Heat Sink........................................................................................................................................ 11
Temperature Development of C2 Series after Power-Up................................................................................... 12
Mechanical Drawings .............................................................................................................................................. 13
C2-640-GigE with CS-Mount (Standard) ............................................................................................................. 13
C2-2040-GigE with C-Mount (Standard) ............................................................................................................. 13
Part Number for C2 Series .................................................................................................................................. 13
Part Number for Scheimpflug Adapter Option ................................................................................................... 13
Lens Protection Tubes for the C2 Series.................................................................................................................. 14
C-Mount Lens Protection Tube with Ø 44mm .................................................................................................... 14
Part Number for Lens Protection Tubes ............................................................................................................. 14
C2 SERIES OPERATIONAL REFERENCE .............................................................................................15
Measuring Principle ..............................................................................................................................................15
Geometry 1 ............................................................................................................................................................. 15
Geometry 2 ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Geometry 3 ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Geometry 4 ............................................................................................................................................................. 17
The C2 Sensor Algorithms .....................................................................................................................................18
The Image Mode (IMG) ........................................................................................................................................... 18
The Maximum Intensity Profile Mode (MAX) ......................................................................................................... 19
The Threshold Mode (TRSH) ................................................................................................................................... 20
The Center Of Gravity Mode (COG)......................................................................................................................... 21
The FIR Peak Mode (FIR PEAK) ................................................................................................................................ 22
The FIR Filter Function ..........................................................................................................................................23
The High Dynamic Range 3D Feature (HDR-3D).....................................................................................................24
Multiple Slope Function .......................................................................................................................................... 24
Single Slope Mode (Default Mode)..................................................................................................................... 25

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Dual Slope Mode (1 Knee Point) ......................................................................................................................... 25
Triple Slope Mode (2 Knee Points)...................................................................................................................... 25
Comparison of Slope Modes............................................................................................................................... 26
Multi-Frame Readout Mode (NDR) ......................................................................................................................... 27
The Data Output Format.......................................................................................................................................28
The Data Channel Assignment DC0, DC1 and DC2 .................................................................................................. 28
The Output Frame Structure ................................................................................................................................... 30
Index Definition................................................................................................................................................... 31
Examples of Output Frame Structure ................................................................................................................. 31
The Advanced AOI Functions ................................................................................................................................34
AOI-Search............................................................................................................................................................... 34
AOI-Tracking............................................................................................................................................................ 34
The C2 Series Triggering Mode..............................................................................................................................35
Description of Profile Trigger Modes ...................................................................................................................... 35
Trigger Control –RS422 Resolver............................................................................................................................ 36
Description of Modes for Triggering of Sequencer/Frame and Profile Acquisition ................................................ 38
The C2 Series Chunk Data Mode ...........................................................................................................................40
General Description ................................................................................................................................................ 40
Payload Layout in Chunk Data Mode ...................................................................................................................... 41
XML Descriptors and ID’s ........................................................................................................................................ 42
Chunk Data Structure .............................................................................................................................................. 43
The GigE-Vision Events .........................................................................................................................................44
The Web Interface ................................................................................................................................................45
The External C2-I/O Panel (Rev. 2.0) .....................................................................................................................47
Mechanical Drawing................................................................................................................................................ 48
Clamp Configuration ............................................................................................................................................... 48
Mechanical Dimension............................................................................................................................................ 50
Electrical Specifications of C2-I/O-Panel ................................................................................................................. 51
Use of Power Supply Chain with Interlock Function to supply a Laser ................................................................... 53
Schematic of Isolated digital I/Os located on the C2-I/O Panel .............................................................................. 54
C2-I/O Panel and C2 camera (Compatibility Overview) .......................................................................................... 55
The C2-GigE Interface ...........................................................................................................................................56
The GigE Interface ................................................................................................................................................... 56
The I/O & Power Interface ...................................................................................................................................... 57
Description of LEDs ................................................................................................................................................. 58
Integrated RS232 Serial Interface and Camera Boot Log ........................................................................................ 59
The C2 Cables........................................................................................................................................................61
Cables for Power, I/O and Laser Control................................................................................................................. 61
Wire Assignment of C2 Pigtail Cable ....................................................................................................................... 62
Cables for GigE Interface......................................................................................................................................... 63
Cables for Power, I/O and Laser Control (***discontinued***)............................................................................. 65
Wire Assignment of C2 Pigtail Cable ....................................................................................................................... 66
Orientation of Angled Adapter Cable...................................................................................................................... 67
The C2 Series GenICam Features...........................................................................................................................68
Device Control......................................................................................................................................................... 68
Image Format Control ............................................................................................................................................. 68
Acquisition Control.................................................................................................................................................. 68

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Camera Control ....................................................................................................................................................... 68
AOIs..................................................................................................................................................................... 68
FIR Control .......................................................................................................................................................... 68
Mode and Algorithm Control.............................................................................................................................. 68
Sensor Control .................................................................................................................................................... 69
Data Output Channels......................................................................................................................................... 69
Commands .......................................................................................................................................................... 69
Light Control............................................................................................................................................................ 69
Camera IO................................................................................................................................................................ 69
Trigger Control ........................................................................................................................................................ 69
RS422 Resolver ................................................................................................................................................... 70
AutoStart............................................................................................................................................................. 70
Transport Layer Control .......................................................................................................................................... 70
GigE Vision .......................................................................................................................................................... 70
User Set Control ...................................................................................................................................................... 70
Chunk Data Control ................................................................................................................................................. 70
Event Control........................................................................................................................................................... 70
File Access Control .................................................................................................................................................. 70
CXEXPLORER OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................71
The CXExplorer .....................................................................................................................................................71
CXExplorer Features .............................................................................................................................................72
Image Wizard .......................................................................................................................................................... 72
Image Mode ............................................................................................................................................................ 73
3D Wizard................................................................................................................................................................ 73
3D Mode.................................................................................................................................................................. 74
QUICKSTART A C2 CAMERA.............................................................................................................75
SERVICE INFORMATION ..................................................................................................................76
Product Information and Updates ........................................................................................................................76
Warranty Conditions.............................................................................................................................................77
Warranty Period...................................................................................................................................................... 77
Extended Warranty ................................................................................................................................................. 77
Return Policy ........................................................................................................................................................77
Document Revision...............................................................................................................................................78

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C2 Series Overview
Introduction
The C2 camera series is a revolutionary product family of intelligent high speed sensors. It is
optimised for 3D profile measurement by means of laser triangulation technique. The 3D profile
extraction is performed in the camera by using high performance Field Programmable Gate Array
processors. At the same time the 3D profile data is sent to the PC over a Gigabit Ethernet interface
(GigE). This extreme data reduction boosts the measuring speed to unprecedented levels without
affecting the performance of the connected image processing unit.

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The C2 Series General Specifications
Sensor Controls
Synchronization Modes
Free Running, Triggered, Software Triggered
Exposure Modes
Programmable, Pulse Controlled
Shutter Modes
Global Shutter
Digital Input
2 electrical isolated inputs, +5V to +24V DC
VIL, logic “0”Voltage < 1.5V
VIH, logic “1” Voltage > 3.5V
Max. frequency: 450 kHz
Digital Output
2 electrical isolated outputs, +5 to +24V DC
VOL, logic “0” Voltage < 0.5V
VOH, logic “1” Voltage ≥ 3.8V
IOL, logic “0” drive current max. 100 mA
IOH, logic “1” drive current max. 100 mA
Analog Output
Range: 0V to +5V DC
Encoder/Resolver Input
A+,A-, B+,B-, Z+, Z-
High-Speed Triple RS-422 Receiver
Max. input voltage +5V DC (TTL level)
RS-422-Mode, max. frequency: 15 MHz
Sensor Features
High Dynamic Range Imaging
Multiple Slope, Multi-Frame Readout
3D-Algorithms
MAX, TRSH, COG, FIR PEAK
3D-Scan Features
Automatic AOI-Tracking, Automatic AOI-Search, Multiple
AOIs, AutoStart
Optical Interface
Lens Mount C2-640-GigE
CS-Mount with Back Focal Distance 12.526 mm
Lens Mount C2-2040-GigE
C-Mount with Back Focal Distance 17.526 mm
Adapter for Scheimpflug*
For C-Mount lens
* Must be ordered separate.

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Electrical Interface
Power Supply
+10V to +24V DC (max. +27V DC)
Power consumption
< 6 W
Operating Temperature
0°C to +50°C (non-condensing)
Output Data Interface
Gigabit Ethernet (IEEE 802.3)
Communication Protocol
GigE Vision with GenICam
Mechanical Interface
Camera Size
44 mm x 44 mm x 61/66 mm
Mass (without optics)
125 g
Power connector
17 pin, M12 connector
Ethernet connector
8 pin, A-coded M12 connector
Mechanical Stress Specification
Vibration (sinusoidal each axis)
1 g, 10…2000Hz
IEC 60068-2-6
Vibration (random each axis)
5 g, 5…1000Hz
IEC 60068-2-64
Shock (each axis)
50 g
IEC 60068-2-27
Enclosure rating
IP67
IEC 600529

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The Sensor Specifications
C2-640-GigE
Parameters
Specifications
Sensitivity
17000 LSB / µJ / cm2@ 630 nm
Maximum Spectral Response
0.37 A / (W nm) @ 665 nm
Resolution
648 x 488 pixels
Pixel Size
7.4 µm x 7.4 µm
Sensor Size
4.795 mm x 3.611 mm, diagonal: 6 mm
Sensor Format
1/3”
Sensor ADC Resolution
10 bit
Sensor Dynamic Range
90 dB with HDR
Max. Internal Full-Frame Rate
for Image Mode
520 fps
Max. External Full-Frame Rate
for Image Mode
(limited due to GigE bandwidth)
320 fps
Effective Frame / Profile Rate at
Max. Row Length
Number of Rows
Effective Frame / Profile Rate (Hz)
8
16
32
64
128
256
488
15083
10256
6254
3512
1872
968
516

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C2-2040(HS)-GigE
Parameters
Specifications
Sensitivity
16000 LSB / µJ / cm2@ 550 nm
Maximum Spectral Response
0.290 A / (W nm) @ 665 nm
Resolution
2048 x 1088 pixels
Pixel Size
5.5 µm x 5.5 µm
Sensor Size
11.264 mm x 5.984 mm, diagonal: 12.75 mm
Sensor Format
2/3”
Sensor ADC Resolution
10 bit
Sensor Dynamic Range
90 dB with HDR
Max. Internal Full-Frame Rate for
Image Mode
340 fps
Max. External Full-Frame Rate
for Image Mode
(limited due to GigE bandwidth)
50 fps
Effective Frame / Profile Rate at
Max. Row Length
Number of
Rows
Effective Frame / Profile Rate (Hz)*
C2-2040HS-GigE
C2-2040-GigE
8
16
32
64
128
256
512
1088
25000
16000
9540
5240
2700
1400
723
340
1400
1400
1400
1400
1400
1400
723
340
*with Frame Overhead Time (FOT) = 3

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The Sensors Spectral Response
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800 850 900 950 1000 1050
QE [ % ]
WAVELENGTH [nm]
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
C2-2040(HS)-GigE C2-640-GigE

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Temperature Range (Operation/Storage)
Housing temperature during operation: 0°C to +50°C (+32°F to +122°F)
Sensor chip temperature (on-board) during operation: 0°C to +65°C (+32°F to +149°F)
Humidity during operation: 20% to 80%, relative, non-condensing
Storage temperature: -20°C to +80°C (-4°F to +176°F)
Storage humidity: 20% to 80%, relative, non-condensing
Heat Dissipation
The operation of the C2 sensors requires sufficient heat dissipation. Due to the small size of the
camera housing there is not enough cooling surface to dissipate the thermal power loss generated
by the core electronics and sensor chip.
All 3D sensors of the C2 series feature high-speed CMOS sensor chips. A typical property of a CMOS
sensor is that it provides best image quality by low temperatures. High temperatures will lead to an
increase of dark current, noise and hence to a reduction of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
To eliminate these effects it is often sufficient to mount the C2 sensor on a heat conductive material,
such as a metal surface.
In case that it is not possible to mount the camera on any heat dissipating carrier, then
it is recommended to use a heat sink with the required specification of AT.
General Guidelines for Heat Dissipation
Mount the 3D sensor to a heat conductive material with an absolute thermal resistance of at
least 6 K / W.
Always monitor the temperature of the sensor (on-board, available over GenICam) and make
sure that the temperature does not exceed 65°C.
Keep in mind that dark current and noise performance for CMOS sensor will degrade at
higher temperature.
The 3D sensor of the C2 series will gradually become warmer during the first hour of
operation. After one hour of operation, the housing temperature as well as the sensor
temperature should be stable and no longer increase.

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Using the C2 Heat Sink
AT provide a specially designed heat sink to improve the cooling of C2 sensors in applications lacking
sufficient thermal dissipation:
Absolute thermal resistance for camera housing: Rth = 5 [K / W]
Absolute thermal resistance for heat sink: Rth = 6 [K / W]

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Temperature Development of C2 Series after Power-Up
This section gives information about the temperature development of C2 series after power-up. A
total of three temperature measurement cases are shown and compared.
The first case indicates the development of internal temperature and external housing temperature
after power-up without any additional mounted heat sink. This case is very unlike, because in most
industrial applications the C2 sensor is mounted on a heat conductive carrier (e.g. metal plate), which
works as a heat dissipater. The operation of C2 sensor without any metal plate (e.g. during evaluation
and/or testing in laboratory environment), requires the mount of a heat sink on the housing.
The other two cases show the temperature development after power-up with one and two mounted
heat sinks. In all test cases the ambient temperature was 22 °C.

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Mechanical Drawings
C2-640-GigE with CS-Mount (Standard)
C2-2040-GigE with C-Mount (Standard)
Part Number for C2 Series
Part Number #
Product Name
202 201 005
C2-2040-GigE, lens mount C-Mount
202 201 006
C2-2040HS-GigE, lens mount C-Mount
202 201 007
C2-640-GigE, lens mount CS-Mount
Part Number for Scheimpflug Adapter Option
Part Number #
Product Name
202 186 007
C2 Scheimpflug-Adapter 10° with C-Mount, for C2-640GigE/C2-2040(HS)-GigE
44,00
44,00
32,00
32,00
61,00
4x M2.5 4.5mm deep
Hole pattern identical on all 4 sides
44,00
44,00
66,00
32,00
32,00
4x M2.5 4.5mm deep
Hole pattern identical on all 4 sides
GigE Interface
8pin A-coded M12 female connector
Power & I/O Interface
17pin M12 male connector
Power & I/O Interface
17pin M12 male connector
GigE Interface
8pin A-coded M12 female connector

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Lens Protection Tubes for the C2 Series
The C2 series offers a high IP67 protection class. Therefore a wide range of C-mount lens protection
tubes are available for C-mount lenses with different sizes.
C-Mount Lens Protection Tube with Ø 44mm
Part Number for Lens Protection Tubes
Part Number #
Tube Ø
(mm)
Tube
Length
(mm)
Max. Lens Ø
(mm)
Max. Lens Length
(mm)
Camera Overall
Length
X (mm)
202 201 100
44
48
36
30
105
202 201 101
44
98
36
80
155
202 201 102
44
58
36
40
115
202 201 103
44
68
36
50
125
202 201 104
55
70
50
55
135
202 201 105
55
80
50
65
145
202 201 106
55
90
50
75
155
202 201 107
55
100
50
85
165

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C2 Series Operational Reference
Measuring Principle
The C2 camera acquires height profiles and height images based on the laser triangulation principle.
According to this method a laser line is projected on the object from one direction. The C2 camera
views the object from another angle defining the triangulation geometry. The resulting sensor image
is evaluated by the C2 camera core and converted into a single height profile. By scanning the laser
line over the object a complete height image can be acquired.
The figures below demonstrate some typical triangulation geometries. The following notation is used
in the approximation of height resolution:
ΔX= resolution along the laser line (lateral),
ΔY= resolution perpendicular to the laser line (longitudinal in the direction of motion),
ΔZ= height resolution.
Geometry 1
The laser line is projected perpendicular to the object surface, while the camera views the object
under the triangulation angle α.
The height resolution can be approximated: ΔZ ≈ ΔX / sin(α)
Scan direction
α
Y
Z
X

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Geometry 2
The camera views the object perpendicularly to its surface, while the laser line is projected under the
triangulation angle α.
The height resolution can be approximated: ΔZ ≈ ΔX / tan(α)
Geometry 3
The camera views the object under an angle α, while the laser line is projected under a different
angle β.
The height resolution can be approximated: ΔZ ≈ ΔX * cos(β) / sin(α + β),
in case α= β (direct reflex) : ΔZ ≈ ΔX / 2* sin(α)
Scan direction
α
Scan direction
α
β
Y
Z
X
Y
Z
X

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Geometry 4
The camera views the object under an angle α, while the laser line is projected under a different
angle β at the camera side.
The height resolution can be approximated: ΔZ ≈ ΔX * cos(β) / sin(α),
Scan direction
α
β
Y
Z
X

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The C2 Sensor Algorithms
The C2 series can be operated both in a variety of 3D profile modes and in image mode. The current
operation mode can be chosen by setting the parameter:
Camera Controls→ModeAndAlgorithmControls→CameraMode.
The frame rate can be increased in all camera modes by reducing the AOI size. In the image mode
the frame rate is limited by the output rate of the camera interface (GigE). However, due to reduced
data size in profile mode the frame rate is limited only by the sensor output rate. As a matter of
principle the processing speed is independent of the chosen profile mode and is determined by the
AOI size.
In all profile modes only intensity values higher than the AOI intensity threshold AOI_TRSH are
processed in order to suppress weak signal noise. In case that no position value can be found, e.g.
no intensity value is higher than threshold, the position value 0 is returned.
The Image Mode (IMG)
In the image mode the C2 camera is operated similar to a standard CMOS camera. In this mode grey
scale data of 8 or 10 bit resolution are acquired over the camera interface. Furthermore, the sensor
can be divided into multiple regions, whose data can be summarised in one output frame.