Clearance Distance, Field of View and Measurement Range

Clearance distance (CD), field of view (FOV), and measurement range (MR) are important concepts for understanding the setup of a sensor and for understanding results.

Clearance distance – The minimum distance from the sensor that a target can be scanned and measured. A target closer than this distance will result in invalid data.

Measurement range – The vertical distance, starting at the end of the clearance distance, in which targets can be scanned and measured. Targets beyond the measurement range will result in invalid data.

Field of view – The area on the XY plane along the measurement range. At the far end of the measurement range, the field of view is larger, but the resolution is lower. At the near end, the field of view is smaller, but the resolution is higher. When resolution is critical, if possible, place the target closer to the near end.