Overview

The pictures below explain the usage of the example application.

Figure 1. Example Application explained.

Menus

File - Calibration Setup - Opens a setup window where user can change calibration files.
File - Load Recipe - Opens a window where user select available recipes.
File - Save Recipe - Saves currently used parameters to a recipe file. Asks a recipe name on the first time.
File - Save Recipe As - Saves currently used parameters to a different recipe file.
About - Displays software information.

Recipes

The camera parameters, which are currently used in GuiExample, can be saved via menus to a named recipe file. The recipe files are sensor type specific. When the GuiExample application starts, it asks user to select a recipe. GuiExample modifies the camera parameters and the user interface based on the recipe settings.

Zooming

To zoom into an area of interest, use the mouse to select a rectangle, which covers the area. The picture below demonstrates zoom in.

Figure 2. Zoom into an area of interest.

To zoom out, click the buttons on the axes as depicted below.

Figure 3. Zoom out.

Sensor Settings

Sensor attributes

Average Intensity - Average intensity of the profile (read-only).
External Pulsing Enabled - External triggering input selection. Disabled in batch mode.
Frequency [Hz] - Sampling frequency the sensor is using. Disabled in batch mode.
Height Zero Adjustment - Centers image around calibrated center. Can be useful on higher frequencies.

Click Apply to make (sensor) settings effective.

Automatic Gain Control

The application provides an example of how to use Automatic Gain Control (AGC) in measurement applications. When AGC is supported by the sensor, "AGC Enabled" checkbox is adjustable. When AGC is not supported by the sensor, "AGC Enabled" checkbox, "AGC Target Intensity" value field and "Max. LED Pulse Width [µs]" value field are disabled.

In the example application, the required parameters for the AGC are "AGC Target Intensity" and "Max. LED Pulse Width [µs]", which is the upper limit. "LED Pulse Width [µs]" is the starting reference. The AGC will automatically adjust "LED Pulse Width [µs]" to achieve optimal intensity for the profile. When AGC is adjusting, the "Average Intensity" value is changing until optimal intensity is achieved or "LED Pulse Width [µs]" is equal to "Max. LED Pulse Width [µs]".

Figure 4. LED pulse width automatically optimized by the AGC.

Peak detection

Peak detection enables an easy selection from pre-selected sensor attributes by changing "Material Type" and light "Sensitivity". For transparent materials one must set minimum thickness of the layer (µm).

Click Custom to open customization settings for peak detection. Following settings are available:

Peak Threshold - Filter for low intensity noise.
Fir Length - Length of the Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter.PARAM_PEAK_FIR_LENGTH
Averaging Fir Length - Length of the Averaging FIR filter. Available, if detection filter is not supported by the firmware.
Detection Filter - Detection filter length PARAM_SIGNAL_DETECTION_FILTER_LENGTH. Available, if it is supported by the firmware.
Average Intensity Filter - Average intensity filter length PARAM_PEAK_AVERAGE_INTENSITY_FILTER_LENGTH. Available, if it is supported by the firmware.

Figure 5. Peak detection settings.

Advanced settings

If HDR (High Dynamic Range) is supported by the firmware, HDR parameters Vlow2, VLow3, Kp1Pos and Kp2Pos can be modified to enhance the image quality. VLow3 and Kp2Pos are not available for LCI1220 and LCI1620 sensors.

If Layer specific parameters are supported by the firmware, "Max Thickness" and "Intensity Type" can be set for each layer separately.

View Settings

Window Height [mm] - Scales graph height.
Graph Unit - mm or µm.
Show Intensity - Displays intensity diagram of the received data. The value scale for intensity is displayed on the right graph axis. The intensity selection is disabled in batch mode and when the raw image is displayed.
Show Raw Image - Displays raw image from the camera. Disabled in batch mode.
Show Thickness - Displays thickness profile graph for each layer. Available for "Brightest Top", "Top" and "Bottom" surface selections. If thickness profile is selected, upper graph displays the height of the first layer. Thickness selection is disabled in batch mode.

Click Refraction to modify effective refractive index for each layer.

Figure 6. Raw image from camera.

Surface Selection

The profile graph can display several layers from transparent surfaces. User may select which surface to explore.

All - All surfaces are displayed.
Brightest Top - First points are sorted according to intensity values and then according to z-coordinates from the top to the bottom. Method works well if number of layers is known.
Top - Sorting of displayed surface starting from the topmost.
Bottom - Sorting of displayed surface starting from the bottommost.

Export - Data from the selected layers is exported to a CSV file. If raw image is displayed, the image is exported to a PNG file.

Batch Mode

Batch mode provides a way to generate 3D point cloud data from a sample on the moving measurement table or assembly line. Sensor sampling frequency is controlled either internally, i.e. triggered by application itself, or externally, pulsing generated by a moving step motor, for example.

Batch controls

Configure - Opens "Batch Configuration" window.
Start - Sets batch in running mode. On external triggering sensor is waiting for pulses from control. On internal triggering batch starts running immediately.
Stop - Allows user abort a running batch, which is not yet completed.
Clear - Clears batch data from buffer.
Save - Saves batch data result either as 3D point cloud data or in 2D bitmap format.

Figure 7. Batch controls and configuration settings.

Batch Configuration settings

Sensor Trigger - Select either external or internal triggering.
Batch Length - Number of lines acquired.
Line Speed [m/min] - Moving speed of measured sample. Not applicable for external trigger.
Trigger Freq [Hz] - Internal trigger defines sampling frequency. External trigger, insert expected average frequency. Information is used to adjust depth of field if frequencies > 300 Hz are used.
Scan Step Length [mm] - Step between each acquired line profile. Not applicable for internal trigger.
Max. Scan Length [mm] - Total scan length of completed batch, which is the result of line count times scan step length.

When the batch is started, the program changes to the recording mode and the real-time mode is stopped. When the recording is either stopped or finished, the program returns to batch mode. By clicking Clear program returns to the real-time mode.

Figure 8. Batch Visualizer view after a completed batch run.

In completed batch job view, select Save to store measurement data results for further analysis. Supported file formats are

ASC - ASCII text file format. 3D point cloud data. X, Y and Z coordinates separated by space.
PCD - Binary 3D point cloud data format. Contains X, Y and Z coordinates and intensity value for each measurement point.
BMP - Bitmap, 2D image file format.

Table of Contents