Telling industrial IP cams apart

Industrial (machine vision) cameras are used for a variety of industrial quality assurance and process control applications, according to a recent white paper written by Bjorn Webe, PM of IP Cameras at Basler. They give machines the power of sight, which is a major enabling factor for quality assurance in production processes. What many industrial camera users don't know: network cameras, also known as IP cameras, are also an effective tool for monitoring production processes.

Typical Characteristics of a Network Camera
With network cameras, the reproduced images are inherently optimized for human viewing as well as for long-term storage of the data. To ensure this last aspect, the image data is compressed while still in the camera. This is beneficial on the one hand because it cuts down on the amount of storage space needed to archive the videos. On the other hand it also reduces the necessary bandwidth overhead for video transmission and allows the cameras to be used even in budget-minded networks built around low levels of capacity. For this reason various cameras can run parallel to one another.

Network cameras compress the image data within the camera.
Advantage: requires less bandwidth and less storage space.
Network cameras have another major benefit: uncomplicated operation. Once the IP camera is connected to a network, any computer on that network can then access its images by entering the camera's IP address into a browser. This makes it easy for an electrician to mount and activate the cameras. While industrial cameras offer a very broad spectrum of configurations and are often more complicated, network cameras are relatively simple, with a viewing angle and focus factor all that's needed for immediate use.

Network cameras can be used effectively anywhere where production processes or movement sequences (of any kind) are to be filmed and monitored by a human observer. They are especially well suited for applications that require good image quality despite changing light, weather or temperature conditions. IP cameras are especially crucial if the image data is to be stored.

Ideal Uses for Network Cameras
Given their technical properties, network cameras are the perfect choice for use in monitoring tasks. These range from classical video surveillance to anti-theft and anti-vandalism applications, as well as controlling of production processes and workflows and traffic monitoring. IP cameras are also well suited for remote control of machinery, cars and robots. The different characteristics are decisive for achieving optimal results with the different applications:

• For video surveillance it is especially important that the cameras deliver good images despite changeable or poor lighting conditions. Casinos, for example, are typically set up with dim lighting yet have strict quality standards to ensure safety.
• Cameras for traffic monitoring and video surveillance are frequently subjected to outdoor conditions, which means that the cameras must be able to adjust automatically for a wide range of light conditions. They must also be robust enough to handle both moisture and large fluctuations in temperature.
• In the surveillance field it's a benefit to have multiple network cameras running simultaneously. An observer in a central location can use the cameras to gain an overview of the different areas — from building and traffic management to monitoring of production workflows, such as for the printing and courier industries.
• Network cameras are especially well suited for use in the logistics and transport fields, since they are easy to integrate into existing video management systems.
• No local PC is required to examine the image data from a network camera, allowing them to be used in difficult-to-access spots (such as tunnels), locations subjected to extreme conditions (heat, cold, hazards), or far away from the control center (traffic hubs, etc.).. Because network cameras compress their image data for better storage, they are an excellent choice for a wide variety of areas where “documented proof” must be stored for extended periods. This is particularly true for traffic violation cameras, events such as soccer matches and surveillance videos.