b'Look-AheadFOCUSING ON HIGH-SPEED INSPECTIONBy Robert Weinstein like with fixed focal-length optics. The growing use of CNCs and M anufacturers continually look torobotics has led to increased improve the quality and speedmanufacturing of parts with of their inspections. Thecomplex geometry. Nuara said new Taglens-T1 varifo- by expanding the depth of cal lens by metrologyfield, Taglens-T1 will prove use-manufacturer Mitutoyoful when inspecting these parts, America Corp., Aurora,especially electronics and medi-Illinois, promises a sig- cal parts.nificant advancement inThe Taglens-T1 is ideal for the field. use throughout the manufac-The Taglens-T1 pro- turing process, he said, not-vides high-throughputing that the technology can noncontact inspection,be used for inspection at the said Paul Nuara, opticalbeginning of a run to enable product specialist at Mi- any adjustments needed for tutoyo America, addingmanufacturing, as well as for that the variable-focuspost-manufacturing QC.lens does not require mechanicalIt provides more qualitative refocusing. data per unit of time, Nuara said. The technology initially was de- There are other companies that veloped by a team led by PrincetonMitutoyo America offer liquid lenses, but the advan-The focus range of Taglens-T1 is variable University professor Craig B. Arnold,without changing the camera position. tage of the Taglens-T1 is that there an expert in materials science andis no loss of performance when the lasers. The group began to com- lens is inverted or the orientation is mercialize the technology in 2011one element is in sharp focus, andchanged as are often needed when through Princeton, New Jersey- the rest are out of focus. Taglens- inspecting complex parts.based Tag Optics Inc., which was co- T1 allows the entire image to beThe lenses are manufactured in founded by Arnold and Princetonin sharp focus in a given scanningthe U.S. and then sent to Japan for University alumnus Christian Theri- range, depending on the field ofpackaging and distribution. Mitu-ault. In 2016, Mitutoyo purchasedthe optics. toyos product line includes video a controlling interest in Tag Optics. The technology is able to scanmicroscope units, such as VMU-T1, Taglens-T1 is optical, not laser- the full range of the lens every 14which incorporates Taglens-T1. In based, and it has no probe. microseconds at 70 kHz. The depth- addition, the lens can come with an It contains a proprietary liquidof-field expansion eliminates theoptional software development kit within a glass lens, Nuara said.need for mechanical refocusing, un- so end users can consolidate the The Taglens controller generatesdata the system generates into their sound in the liquid, changing its op- own software. Nuara said future de-tical properties. about the author velopment of the product line likely The lens is less affected by vi- will integrate the lens into other bration and shock than competingRobert Weinsteinmeasurement systems, like vision devices and can be mounted on ro- is a contributingsystems and microscopes.CTEbotic arms, according to Mitutoyo. writer for CTE.For more information about Mitu-Contact him at When an image is created with- 732-583-7171 ortoyo America, call 888-648-8869 or out Taglens technology, [email protected]. visit www.mitutoyo.com.80JULY 2019 LookAhead.indd 80 6/14/19 9:32 AM'