MV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)View part & specifications →Browse camera options →Home / Case studies / Bent pins on connectors and boards
Application study · Electronics assemblyFinding bent pins on connectors and boards with telecentric backlighting
A pin that leans by a few degrees still looks fine from above and fails at the press-fit. Three tests with bi-telecentric lenses show pin rows as clean silhouettes, so angle and position come straight from the edges.
Separate real pin lean from perspective.
- Gezichtsveld50.46 × 37.85 mm
- Image2592 × 1944 px
- Accuracy (as tested)< 0.019 mm
- Board test60.02 × 45.02 mm, < 0.023 mm
Test stationIncluded light holdersCameraObjectiefVerlichtingPartGezichtsveld
Drag to rotate · scroll to zoomWalk through this setup 5 guided stops
From component to inspection
Understand each choice.
Choose a stop to frame the part in 3D and see why it belongs in this setup. The component notes and links remain available if 3D cannot load.
Proposed component
MV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)
5 MP 2/3" monochrome; fills the LS-VCM230-120-AL's 2/3" image circle.
Proposed component
LS-VCM230-120-AL
Current AL lens, 0.095x. The board sheet names the non-AL LS-VCM230-120; this alternative requires field and working-distance validation.
Proposed component
LS-2BC-100X100
Flat backlight with a 100 × 100 mm emitting area, larger than the 60 × 45 mm field so the edges stay bright.
Proposed component
LS-BT-XZ-G-8-6045
800 mm column, 600 × 450 mm breadboard, XZ adjustment, glass tray and two lighting holders as listed. Proposed bench fixture; confirm loads, travel and camera/lens clamps.
Inspect the real capture
Follow the contrast to the part.
Separate real pin lean from perspective.
Camera and available lens CAD are published models. Lens and light envelopes use printed dimensions. The linked station uses its published base size and column height; carriage, brackets, fittings, parts and spacing are illustrative. Confirm load, travel, fasteners and clearances before ordering. Light paths explain the arrangement and do not simulate optical performance.
From the demo to your test benchCameraMV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)View part & specifications →Browse camera options → Imaging lens
LS-VCM230-120-ALView part & specifications →Browse imaging lens options → Inspection light
LS-2BC-100X100View part & specifications →Browse inspection light options → Test station & mounts
LS-BT-XZ-G-8-6045View part & specifications →Browse test station & mounts options →
Build around the parts you can buy.
Explore each component, check its specifications and compare alternatives. The proposed quote includes the linked test station; its catalog listing includes two lighting holders.
MV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)View part & specifications →Browse camera options →LS-VCM230-120-ALView part & specifications →Browse imaging lens options →LS-2BC-100X100View part & specifications →Browse inspection light options →LS-BT-XZ-G-8-6045View part & specifications →Browse test station & mounts options →Mount the optics with intent
The station is an optical test bench, with its two lighting holders included in the catalog listing. The 3D column and base follow the published height and footprint. Carriages, clamps and part supports are schematic: confirm camera screw pattern, lens support, light fasteners, permissible load and actual travel before ordering.
Configure the mounting station →Complete the electrical system
Select a controller against the exact light voltage, drive mode and power, then confirm camera data/power/I/O cables and a suitable PC. These are not silently added to the proposed optical kit.
Optics application-lab test sheet
Evidence you can inspect
Visible in the images
The three captures show backlit pin outlines, including visibly leaning pins.
What the source reports
The sheets report <0.019 mm, <0.023 mm and <0.04 mm for different camera/field combinations.
How to use this evidence
The camera and AL lens in the proposed board kit are alternatives. Validate their sampling and field on your fixture.
What the camera saw
Cropped from the source test sheet; original test annotations are retained. Captures are not generated or enhanced. Drag the comparison slider or use the image buttons.
The challenge
Pins are thin, shiny and close together. Lit from the front they flare and merge; seen through a standard lens, pins at the edge of the image lean outwards (parallax), which looks exactly like the bend you are trying to find.
The check has to measure the pin tip position and the lean of every pin across the whole row in one image.
How it was solved
Connector row: LS-VCM125-64-AL (0.113x) over a flat backlight. Field 50.46 × 37.85 mm at 2592 × 1944 px, accuracy under 0.019 mm.
Board header pins: the sheet identifies the LS-VCM230-120 with a backlight, a 60.02 × 45.02 mm field, and reports <0.023 mm. The current AL lens below is a proposed alternative rather than the exact named test lens.
Pins on a machined part: the source names the LS-VCM110-120 and a collimated light, mounted vertically. It reports an 81.62 × 81.62 mm field at 2048 × 2048 pixels and <0.04 mm.
Why it works
- 1
Telecentric optics reduce perspective differences across the field, helping distinguish pin lean from imaging geometry.
- 2
Backlighting separates the pin outlines from the background, providing edges for a position or angle check.
- 3
The quoted values belong to three separate test configurations. One proposed kit does not reproduce every test field or performance.
From image contrast to a production decision
What to validate on your part
A useful sample image is the starting point. These are the checks that turn the concept into a defensible inspection.
- 01
Define the reject
Specify tip displacement, lean angle and the smallest gap that must remain visible.
- 02
Test the complete row
Check edge-of-field pins and pins at different depths and heights.
- 03
Include fixture motion
Repeat loading and triggering with good and deliberately bent samples.
Explore your inspection requirementsNo limit from motion
How many pixels cover your feature?
Compare feature coverage, camera pixel requirements and exposure using your own planning inputs. These are calculated planning values, not inspection results or an accuracy specification.
Editable planning scenario. Adjust these example inputs for your application; they are separate from the source test and 3D setup. Motion allowance and target coverage are starting points to validate, not acceptance limits. Pixel count starts from the proposed camera's catalog resolution.
Enter finite numbers in every field. Field width, feature width, target coverage, exposure and allowed motion must be greater than zero; horizontal pixel count must be a positive whole number; material speed may be zero. Use values within the supported numeric range if a calculation cannot be represented.
Object sampling mm/px
Pixels across feature px
Horizontal pixels for target px
Motion during exposure px
Exposure ceiling from motion µs
Formulas and assumptions
The field, feature, speed and exposure start with neutral example values. They are not taken from the source test or the 3D illustration. Allowed motion starts at an editable 0.5-pixel example; it is not a recommended acceptance limit. Target coverage starts at an editable 5-pixel example; it is not a recommended detection or measurement threshold. The horizontal pixel count starts from the catalog Resolution row for MV-CS050-10GM(NPOE). Use the effective width after cropping, binning or decimation if those modes are enabled.
- Object sampling (mm/px) = field width (mm) / horizontal pixels.
- Pixels across feature = feature width (mm) / object sampling (mm/px).
- Horizontal pixels for target = field width (mm) × target pixels across feature / feature width (mm), rounded up to a whole pixel.
- Motion (px) = speed (mm/s) × exposure (µs) / 1,000,000 / object sampling (mm/px).
- Exposure for allowed motion (µs) = allowed motion (px) × object sampling (mm/px) / speed (mm/s) × 1,000,000.
The exposure result is the maximum duration from this motion allowance alone. At zero speed, motion sets no exposure limit; the camera, lighting, saturation and other constraints still apply. A shorter exposure does not itself guarantee a reliable inspection.
Field width and feature width refer to the same object plane. The motion calculation assumes uniform linear motion parallel to the field-width direction and a single exposure. It does not model perspective, vibration, rolling-shutter distortion, diffraction, defocus or optical distortion. A strobe may change the effective exposure.
The target result is a horizontal sampling requirement, not a camera recommendation or a change to the selected camera. It uses the effective image width after cropping, binning or decimation and does not determine the vertical resolution or sensor size. Pixel coverage alone does not establish detectability or measurement accuracy. Validate contrast, lens performance, working distance, illumination, calibration, camera exposure limits and the inspection algorithm on representative parts. Changing field width does not change the 3D model or certify that the proposed lens can achieve that field.
The set-up and the parts
| Cameras (tests) | 5 MP 2592 × 1944 px; 4 MP 2048 × 2048 px (1") |
|---|---|
| Objectieven | Bi-telecentric 0.113x / 0.095x / 0.138x |
| Lichtbronnen | Flat backlight; collimated light |
| Werkafstand | 187 mm / 280 mm / 280 mm (lens specs) |
| Mounting (proposed) | LS-BT-XZ-G-8-6045 · camera test station with glass tray and two lighting holders |
ObjectiefOur pickLS-VCM230-120-AL
Current AL lens, 0.095x. The board sheet names the non-AL LS-VCM230-120; this alternative requires field and working-distance validation.
$2,609.00In proposed setup
ObjectiefTestedLS-VCM125-64-AL
0.113x for 1/2.5" sensors; used for the connector row.
$1,649.00Separate test / alternativeVerlichtingOur pickLS-2BC-100X100
Flat backlight with a 100 × 100 mm emitting area, larger than the 60 × 45 mm field so the edges stay bright.
$109.00In proposed setup
VerlichtingTestedLS-VCL-120-XW-Y
Collimated light with a 120 mm beam, for the vertical machined-part test.
$889.00Separate test / alternativeCameraOur pickMV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)
5 MP 2/3" monochrome; fills the LS-VCM230-120-AL's 2/3" image circle.
$819.00In proposed setupCamera test stationOur pickLS-BT-XZ-G-8-6045
800 mm column, 600 × 450 mm breadboard, XZ adjustment, glass tray and two lighting holders as listed. Proposed bench fixture; confirm loads, travel and camera/lens clamps.
$359.00In proposed setup"Tested" identifies the part named in the source. "Our pick" is a proposed alternative or supporting part. The quote includes only cards marked "In proposed setup", with the quantities shown; other test arrangements are separate. Confirm colour, optics, controllers, power supplies, cables and mounting before ordering.
About this case study: the photos and camera images come from the application laboratory of the maker of the lighting and optics we sell, imaged on the parts shown; your results depend on your part, camera and set-up. This is an application-lab study, not a LumaSpec customer deployment. Source figures are reported results; proposed components require a fresh trial. The 3D scene illustrates the arrangement and does not simulate imaging performance.
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