MV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)View part & specifications →Browse camera options →Serial marks on a dark cover: light the code without losing the part
The supplied capture shows a bright two-dimensional mark and small serial characters on a dark rectangular cover. A white bar provides a starting recipe for resolving the mark while controlling the bright edge around it.
Make the mark repeatable in the image before measuring traceability performance.
- Light in sourceLS-2BS23738-RGBW · white
- EvidenceReal application-lab image
- Imaging kitCamera, lens and fixture proposed
- AcceptanceValidate on representative parts
Drag to rotate · scroll to zoomWalk through this setup 5 guided stops
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.
MV-CS050-10GM(NPOE)
5 MP monochrome global-shutter camera proposed for a contrast trial. Confirm field, sampling, exposure and algorithm on the actual application.
LS-KF1628M-ML
Proposed 16 mm C-mount macro lens at its printed 0.1x magnification / 152 mm working-distance pair. The proposed 2448 × 2048 sensor with 3.45 µm pixels gives a derived 84.456 × 70.656 mm field; confirm focus, coverage and residual distortion on the real sample.
LS-2BS23738-RGBW
White version of the 237 × 38 × 27 mm source bar, explicitly named for serial-number identification. One bar is included; the exact source angle and quantity are not documented.
LS-BT-XZ-G-6-6045
600 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.
Follow the contrast to the part.
Make the mark repeatable in the image before measuring traceability performance.
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. Representative part geometry is illustrative, not reconstructed inspection evidence. The specimen and lighting angle are representative, not dimensions or settings recovered from the source capture.
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-KF1628M-MLView part & specifications →Browse imaging lens options →
LS-2BS23738-RGBWView part & specifications →Browse inspection light options →
LS-BT-XZ-G-6-6045View 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.
Evidence you can inspect
Small bright characters and a two-dimensional mark are visible inside the dark cover boundary.
The catalog labels the example serial-number identification under a white bar light.
One application image with no decoded payload, read statistics, code grade, source camera or working distance.
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
A small mark can be lost when the camera exposure is set by a much brighter outer edge.
The code and text may have different minimum feature sizes, and both can move with part placement.
How it was solved
The source identifies the white bar for serial-number identification. Its image shows the marked area inside a dark part rather than providing a decoded result.
Define a region of interest around the mark and use a repeatable cover fixture. Confirm illumination direction and focus on the actual surface finish before choosing a reader.
Why it works
- 1
An oblique bar arrangement gives a direction to the reflected signal instead of lighting every surface identically.
- 2
The code region is visible, but the source does not establish a symbology, payload, OCR recipe or successful-decode percentage.
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
Collect actual marking variation
Test faint, displaced, incomplete and overmarked samples with verified identities.
- 02
Preserve the quiet region
Keep the whole required code region and margins in focus without saturating adjacent reflective edges.
- 03
Validate the complete reader
Test both part localization and mark reading at the final fixture variation and exposure.
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.
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
| Tested light | LS-2BS23738-RGBW, white |
|---|---|
| Source camera / lens | Not specified in the source image caption; proposed parts below |
| Proposed lens point | 0.1x at 152 mm, printed lens pair |
| Derived proposed field | 84.456 × 70.656 mm = sensor dimensions / 0.1x; not a source test field |
| Bar housing (printed) | 237 × 38 × 27 mm |
| Mounting (proposed) | LS-BT-XZ-G-6-6045; 600 mm column, 600 × 450 mm base, glass tray and two included lighting holders |

White version of the 237 × 38 × 27 mm source bar, explicitly named for serial-number identification. One bar is included; the exact source angle and quantity are not documented.
$159.00In proposed setup
5 MP monochrome global-shutter camera proposed for a contrast trial. Confirm field, sampling, exposure and algorithm on the actual application.
$819.00In proposed setup
Proposed 16 mm C-mount macro lens at its printed 0.1x magnification / 152 mm working-distance pair. The proposed 2448 × 2048 sensor with 3.45 µm pixels gives a derived 84.456 × 70.656 mm field; confirm focus, coverage and residual distortion on the real sample.
$319.00In proposed setup
600 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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Make the next trial specific.
Tell us the part size, smallest defect or tolerance, available working distance, material and line speed. Include what a good part and a reject look like.
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