Focusing on high-speed inspection
With the new Taglens-T1 varifocal lens, manufacturers can achieve high-throughput noncontact parts inspection.
Manufacturers continually look to improve the quality and speed of their inspections. The new Taglens-T1 varifocal lens by metrology manufacturer Mitutoyo America Corp., Aurora, Illinois, promises a significant advancement in the field.
“The Taglens-T1 provides high-throughput noncontact inspection,” said Paul Nuara, optical product specialist at Mitutoyo America, adding that the variable-focus lens does not require mechanical refocusing.
The technology initially was developed by a team led by Princeton University professor Craig B. Arnold, an expert in materials science and lasers. The group began to commercialize the technology in 2011 through Princeton, New Jersey-based Tag Optics Inc., which was co-founded by Arnold and Princeton University alumnus Christian Theriault. In 2016, Mitutoyo purchased a controlling interest in Tag Optics.
Taglens-T1 is optical, not laser-based, and it has no probe.
“It contains a proprietary liquid within a glass lens,” Nuara said. “The Taglens controller generates sound in the liquid, changing its optical properties.”
The focus range of Taglens-T1 is variable without changing the camera position. Image courtesy of Mitutoyo America
The lens is less affected by vibration and shock than competing devices and can be mounted on robotic arms, according to Mitutoyo.
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