SK3 NEEDLE PATH DETECTOR
Page 3 of 46
FOREWORD
Letter from the engineering team:
The design of this new needle path detectors was prompted by the intention of BIANCO
S.p.A. to be present on the market as a benchmark in terms of performance, capability and
service, by enhancing the technological content, and hence the added value of the machines
supplied.
This policy and the trust accorded to our engineering team has kindled the enthusiasm and
dedication we already feel for our job, which now appears more attractive and interesting
than ever. For this reason, we are grateful to the company management and express our
hope to be able to repay their trust with products in keeping with their expectations and, first
and foremost, with customer requirements.
Hw ad hoc:
In the design of the SK3 detector, we started out by considering the objectives to be reached,
without setting for ourselves any time or cost limitations.
Only after defining the characteristics of each individual part, a market survey got underway to
assess actual feasibility.
Since we were unwilling to accept any compromise, the design of the optical and mechanical
parts proved rather complex, and after a number of experiments, it became focused on the
present-day solution, where each individual part is made to measure according to stringent
construction principles.
The electronic components are mostly derived from the automotive and military markets and
are certified to operate in particularly adverse environmental conditions. For the computation
parts, it was decided to combine a microcontroller and a digital signal processor (DSP), both
of them very powerful, so as to be able to reserve the DSP to mathematical computations
also and use the microcontroller and its peripherals for control and service tasks. The visual
sensor is a new generation device, more performing than traditional CCD’s; from the few top-
performing visual sensors available on the market, we selected one already adopted by
medical centres, with superior capabilities in terms of sensitivity and signal/noise ratio.
Sw that “sees and sees to it”:
The software monitors the system’s operation and working conditions on a continuous basis,
warns the operator of any anomaly and at the same, if necessary, takes action to by-pass the
problem.
Upgrade your machine:
The computation algorithms implemented at present should already be able to create an
appreciable gap compared to competing products. At all events, new algorithms will be
implemented in the forthcoming SW versions. To download the upgrades is easy (all you
need is a portable PC), and they can be received by electronic mail or regular mail. Soon a
downloading feature will be activated in the official web site of Bianco (www.bianco-spa.com).
Thank you for choosing Bianco, we hope the performance levels offered by the product will
meet your expectations in every respect.
The design team of the R&D division
