On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:43:37 GMT, "BillM"
wrote:

I've got as manufacturing process that I want to
get a look at while it's running. Tight
quarters,
1" or so diameter spinning at around 800 RPM,
wet and slightly corrosive environment.
Kind of hot too---there is an extrusion head at
around 400 F a couple of inches away.

I need a capture rate that updates several times
per revolution. Something I can watch in
real time, and also download to a laptop and
review in slow motion.

I'm sure it's possible, but I'm probably going
to want to be sitting down when I hear the
cost. Any suggestions? Sources for a
camera? Something around 1/2" diameter
by maybe 2 inches long is about all I have room
for.

Would I be better off with a fiber optic viewing
wand with the camera remote mounted?

Bill


Try SUPERCIRCUITS. Lots o' cameras
Eric

I've got as manufacturing process that I want to
get a look at while it's running. Tight
quarters,
1" or so diameter spinning at around 800 RPM,
wet and slightly corrosive environment.
Kind of hot too---there is an extrusion head at
around 400 F a couple of inches away.

I need a capture rate that updates several times
per revolution. Something I can watch in
real time, and also download to a laptop and
review in slow motion.

I'm sure it's possible, but I'm probably going
to want to be sitting down when I hear the
cost. Any suggestions? Sources for a
camera? Something around 1/2" diameter
by maybe 2 inches long is about all I have room
for.

Would I be better off with a fiber optic viewing
wand with the camera remote mounted?

Bill

I used to work in manufacturing, extruders and coating machines and lots of
other stuff. You can learn a lot on this sort of issue with a nice stobe
light setup. it needs to fire once per revolution and a little delay timer
knob to adjust timing so you can go to the right part of the revolution. It
tricks your eyes into freezing what is happening at that part of the cycle.
this is quick and easy to setup.

karl

"Karl Townsend"
wrote in
message
anews.com...
I used to work in manufacturing, extruders and
coating machines and lots of other stuff. You
can learn a lot on this sort of issue with a
nice stobe light setup. it needs to fire once
per revolution and a little delay timer knob
to adjust timing so you can go to the right
part of the revolution. It tricks your eyes
into freezing what is happening at that part of
the cycle. this is quick and easy to setup.

karl


Thanks Karl. Part of the problem here is that I
can't see the area I want to watch without
screwing around with a little mirror.
Co-extruded PVC spiral reinforced tubing. Like
clear suction line, but colored and small. Only
about 2.5" between the die face and the mandrel,
with a lot going on in that space. I need to
get an "eyeball" into that space
so I'm thinking little camera. I'm getting
myself more convinced that something
like an endoscope might be a better solution.
Once I get 10" or so away from the zone
I have lots of room for a bulky camera or even
just an eyepiece.

Bill

On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:43:37 GMT, "BillM"
wrote:

I've got as manufacturing process that I want to
get a look at while it's running. Tight
quarters,
1" or so diameter spinning at around 800 RPM,
wet and slightly corrosive environment.
Kind of hot too---there is an extrusion head at
around 400 F a couple of inches away.

I need a capture rate that updates several times
per revolution. Something I can watch in
real time, and also download to a laptop and
review in slow motion.

I'm sure it's possible, but I'm probably going
to want to be sitting down when I hear the
cost. Any suggestions? Sources for a
camera? Something around 1/2" diameter
by maybe 2 inches long is about all I have room
for.
Sounds like an application for a telephoto lens.

Would I be better off with a fiber optic viewing
wand with the camera remote mounted?

Bill

==========
Two alternatives:

* Rent a high-speed camera. [note the trade off between fps and
resolution at a given price level] (some "spicy meatball" stuff
here)
http://www.highspeedimaging.com/high...T7iAod g1BsWg
http://www.cplab.com/?gclid=CMPJ8aDIiJQCFQ0ziQod-AJCWg
http://www.photron.com/content.cfm?n...EUiQodf084 XA
http://www.abelcine.com/store/produc...ductid=1000189
http://www.delimaging.com/home_del.htm
google on "high-speed digital camera" rental


* Rent a strobe light [Strobotach is one brand name] to slow down
the motion. No record, but you may see all you need to.
http://www.extech.com/instrument/pro...31_461830.html
http://www.extech.com/instrument/pro...461830data.pdf
also used available
http://www.globaltestsupply.com/test...StroboTach.cfm
at c. 300$US it may be worthwhile to rent if this is not a one
time thing.


If you have not done this before, you will swear your machine is
made out of rubber....


Unka' George [George McDuffee]
-------------------------------------------
He that will not apply new remedies,
must expect new evils:
for Time is the greatest innovator: and
if Time, of course, alter things to the worse,
and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better,
what shall be the end?

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, essayist, statesman.
Essays, "Of Innovations" (1597-1625).

On Jun 21, 8:43*pm, "BillM" wrote:
I've got as manufacturing process that I want to
get a look at while it's running. *Tight
quarters,
1" or so diameter spinning at around 800 RPM,
wet and slightly corrosive environment.
Kind of hot too---there is an extrusion head at
around 400 F a couple of inches away.

I need a capture rate that updates several times
per revolution. *Something I can watch in
real time, and also download to a laptop and
review in slow motion.

I'm sure it's possible, but I'm probably going
to want to be sitting down when I hear the
cost. * *Any suggestions? * *Sources for a
camera? *Something around 1/2" diameter
by maybe 2 inches long is about all I have room
for.

Would I be better off with a fiber optic viewing
wand with the camera remote mounted?

Bill

I've been poking around for cameras that fit my own funky needs, so
I'll ask these questions:
Could you use mirrors or fiber optics, or is there a straight view
into the target that lensing will allow the camera to stand off?
You want to be able to see this live and or viewed later. That pretty
much means fire wire or USB, many that come with software. You can do
it with standard cameras, but it will cost you more for the image
capture hardware and software.
Several times per revolution (say for the sake of the arguement, ten
times) and 800 rpm is 13.3 rotations per second, and generic cameras
are usually 30 frames a second, so you're fine there, I think.

FWIW, we just got a couple USB cameras from Sentech America. They
came with a software package, that while just out of beta, allows us
to change the frame rate in exchange for reducing the field of view.
Does recording, too, but the files are fixed in length based on frame
size and frame rate or something like that. Still haven't figured
that part out yet. They might be worth looking at, but they've also
got lots of competition in the market. I think they were like $230
each or something like that.

Other folks sell much less expensive cameras, including the cheapest,
a small USB webcam from just about any retailer that might help you
get a better handle on exactly what your needs are. We will often get
something cheap to help us understand what we need to specify the next
time around. And sometimes we find that does the job, too, which
saves us a huge chunk of change.