HIGH-QUALITY OPTICAL VIEW BEAM SPLITTERS BY LIGHT WORKS, LLC

Adjustable Field Splitter eliminates need for dual cameras


If you need to:


  • inspect the same object from different angles
  • see the edges of a large object, or multiple widely spaced objects while still maintaining high resolution
  • quickly and easily change your camera's viewing area without significantly changing the optical path length
  • view an area where a camera won't fit


The Adjustable Field Splitter (AFS) delivers it all and more.


For the first time here's an out-of-the-box optical accessory that lets you solve the problem without expensive engineering and fabrication. If you can turn a screw and focus a lens, you can use the AFS to save time and money.


Don't add that second expensive line scan or high end area scan camera - add an Adjustable Field Splitter.


 Light Works has basic AFS kits available along with application notes and suggestions.


We would be happy to confidentially discuss your specific needs in detail and provide the optical engineering for your particular AFS application.


Take a look a some of the examples and how it works, then contact us to find out how we can make Light Work for you.


How the Adjustable Field Splitter Works


The AFS threads onto lens

A metallized prism splits the view into 2 fields

The optical path of each field travels down the "articulated periscope" arms

Each rotary joint is adjustable and lockable

Each arm of AFS views a different object, or

Two arms can view same object from different angles

Regardless of adjustment position or arm angle, the optical path remains constant



Example Applications


Printed circuit board inspection

View widely spaced components at high resolution.


Inspect both ends of single object

Use a single camera to view two different planes of same object.


High resolution bottle gauging

Use the AFS to obtain high resolution diameter measurement by imaging opposite edges of a wide mouth bottle.


Web guidance and inspection

Inspect the widely spaced edges of interest in a web guidance application.


Complementary diameter gauging

Perform precision diameter checks from two angles using one camera.


360 degree object inspection

A four-arm AFS can give your single camera an undistorted full view.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • 1. What is a beam splitter, and how does it function in optical systems?

    Generally speaking, a beam splitter is an optical device, usually made of glass, that is able to reflect part of an incoming beam of light, and transmit the remainder. How this "decision" to split the beam into two or more parts depends on the configuration of the beam splitter. Often a plate of glass is partially mirrored so that half the light is reflected and half transmitted. But there are other ways to achieve this. One class of beam splitters are Cube Beamsplitters. [NOTE TO SEO VALLEY: For this phrase, should we link it to the blog post about cube beam splitters?]


    In any case, these types of beam splitters allow a light beam or an image to be directed to two different areas, or two different beams or images to be superimposed onto one place such as a camera detector.


    But this general class of beam splitters is NOT what we at Light Works specialize in. Here we specialize in what we call View Optical Beam Splitters, or View Splitters for short.


  • 2. How do your view optical beam splitters differ from traditional beam splitters?

    Light Works View Optical Beam Splitters are also designed to allow the images of two or more different objects or scenes to be brought onto a single camera detector. The big difference is that these images are arranged next to each other instead of superimposed on top of each other. In this way, it allows the system to perform good inspections on multiple objects (or different sides of the same object) with a single camera. If a traditional beam splitter were used for this, the images would completely overlap and be too confusing to properly inspect.

  • 3. Are there custom beam splitter solutions available for specialized optical applications?

    For both traditional optical beam splitter, and Light Works View Optical Beam Splitters, many custom options are available. One common example for traditional optical beam splitters is that the split ratio between reflected and transmitted beams can be designed to the standard 50/50, or other ratios such as 30/70 or 10/90 which are commonly done. But in theory, almost any split ratio can be achieved.


    For Light Works View Optical Beam Splitters, customization is actually the rule as opposed to the exception. To be honest, we originally started out with a small number of fixed designs, as well as our Adjustable Field Splitter product which used standard components configured in custom ways. But over the years our experience has been that almost every application required some degree of further customization. Today we typically start with almost "a clean sheet of paper" and lay out a product to exactly fit the application, guided, of course, by many years of experience. But don't worry, that same experience allows us to provide excellent custom products at reasonable pricing.