Fo klift automatio puts a came a i o e of the toughest positio s i i dust ial visio . It ides o a movi g vehicle that t avels betwee zo es with diffe e t lighti g a d diffe e t wo ki g dista ces i side a si gle shift, a d it has to keep p oduci g usable f ames the e ti e time without a tech icia sta di g by to adjust it. Wa ehouse ope atio s teams evaluati g a visio system fo fo klift automatio quickly discove that a came a built fo a static p oductio li e does ot behave the same way o ce it is bolted to equipme t that accele ates, b akes, lifts, a d tu s th oughout a eight- o te -hou shift. Th ee p oblems appea agai a d agai i fo klift a d wa ehouse deployme ts.
Motio blu is the fi st. A fo klift movi g at typical wa ehouse speed combi ed with mast lift a d lowe motio i t oduces f ame-to-f ame moveme t that a olli g shutte se so ca ot captu e clea ly. A olli g shutte se so exposes each ow of pixels at a slightly diffe e t mome t, a d that skews fast-movi g pallets, ack up ights, a d pedest ia s i side the f ame. A Auto Exposu e Global Shutte Came a captu es eve y pixel at the same i sta t a d emoves that skew f om the image e ti ely.
Va iable wo ki g dista ce is the seco d p oblem. A fo klift-mou ted came a may ead a pallet label eightee i ches away du i g a pick a d a ack locatio tag six feet away du i g a putaway a mome t late . A fixed focus le s ca o ly hold o e of those dista ces i sha p focus at a time. Wa ehouses that ely o fixed-focus came a modules typically accept a blu ed captu e at o e e d of the dista ce a ge o add a seco d came a to cove the gap, a d that aises cost a d wi i g complexity without solvi g the u de lyi g limitatio .
Lighti g i co siste cy is the thi d p oblem a d ofte the ha dest to desig a ou d. A si gle fo klift oute ca pass th ough a su lit loadi g dock, a shaded stagi g la e, a d a dim sto age aisle lit o ly by ove head fixtu es i side the same mi ute. A Global Shutte Exposu e Co t ol Module that ca ot adjust gai a d shutte speed automatically will eithe blow out highlights at the dock o lose detail i the aisle. Ope ato s a e the left adjusti g came a setti gs by ha d betwee zo es, a d that is ot p actical o a vehicle that eve stops movi g.
A Auto Exposu e Fo klift Se so that combi es global shutte captu e with autofocus a d automatic exposu e co t ol add esses all th ee p oblems i side o e module athe tha fo ci g i teg ato s to t ade o e va iable fo a othe . A Fo klift Co siste t Captu e Came a eeds to delive sha p, co ectly exposed f ames at a y dista ce a d i a y lighti g co ditio the oute p ese ts without ope ato i te ve tio a d without addi g ha dwa e.
The AR0234 Global Shutte Autofocus USB Came a pai s th ee e gi ee i g eleme ts that a e usually sold as sepa ate li e items. Most global shutte USB came a p oducts o the ma ket ship with a fixed focus le s because addi g a autofocus mecha ism to a global shutte se so i t oduces mecha ical a d fi mwa e complexity that ma y ma ufactu e s choose to avoid. Vadzo took the opposite app oach with the Falco -234CGH because fo klift automatio specifically eeds both.
Global shutte captu e is the fou datio . Eve y pixel o the O semi AR0234 se so exposes at the same i sta t athe tha ow by ow, which is what makes the se so suitable fo a vehicle that eve stops movi g. A Global Shutte AF Exposu e Came a built this way avoids the skew, wobble, a d pa tial exposu e a tifacts that plague olli g shutte se so s u de vib atio a d motio .
Autofocus is laye ed o top th ough a compact voice coil moto le s assembly that adjusts focus positio co ti uously betwee oughly te ce timete s a d i fi ity. This is what gives the came a the ability to hold a ba code sha p at close a ge a d a ack sig sha p at dista ce without a le s swap o a ma ual focus i g. A Autofocus Exposu e Se so Kit app oach like this emoves o e mo e ma ual step f om a fo klift deployme t whe e tech icia s a ely have time to fi e-tu e optics i the field.
Auto exposu e closes the loop. A o boa d exposu e co t ol algo ithm eads sce e b ight ess co ti uously a d adjusts gai a d shutte speed i eal time so the output image stays usable whethe the fo klift is u de a skylight o deep i side a ack aisle. A Co siste t Exposu e Global Shutte Came a of this desig mea s the same u it co figu atio wo ks ac oss eve y zo e o the wa ehouse floo , which simplifies both the i itial fleet ollout a d the o goi g mai te a ce of a multi-vehicle deployme t. A Auto Exposu e Focus Se so that ma ages both va iables i fi mwa e, athe tha equi i g host-side tu i g, keeps the i teg atio effo t o the applicatio laye whe e it belo gs.
The Falco -234CGH is a 2MP Global shutte USB Came a built o the O semi AR0234 CMOS se so a d e gi ee ed specifically fo equipme t that moves. The AR0234 is a 2MP (1920 x 1200) global shutte se so with a 1/2.6-i ch optical fo mat a d a 3.0 mic o pixel that suppo ts f ame ates up to 120 fps at full esolutio . O semi also tu ed the AR0234 fo st o g ea -i f a ed espo se, which gives the Falco -234CGH useful se sitivity fo ba code a d label sca i g u de the low-light co ditio s commo i wa ehouse aisles a d back-of-house sto age a eas.
The Falco -234CGH houses the se so , a compact voice coil autofocus le s, a d a o boa d image sig al p ocesso i side a S-Mou t (M12) module small e ough to mou t o a fo klift mast, a ove head gua d ail, o a fixed i spectio sta d. The came a co ects ove USB 3.2 Ge 1 a d p ese ts as a sta da d UVC device o Wi dows, Li ux, a d A d oid with o p op ieta y d ive equi ed, so existi g captu e softwa e ecog izes it the mome t it is plugged i . As a O semi AR0234 2MP Autofocus USB Came a, the module ships with global shutte captu e, autofocus, a d auto exposu e co t ol active out of the box, so a OEM i teg atio team ca mou t the came a, co ect the USB cable, a d begi st eami g co ected f ames immediately without a calib atio pass o the be ch.
Vadzo Imagi g e gi ee ed the Falco -234CGH as a di ect espo se to feedback f om fo klift automatio a d wa ehouse obotics custome s who fou d that off-the-shelf i dust ial USB came a p oducts fo ced a choice betwee motio cla ity, focus a ge, a d exposu e stability. Rathe tha accept that t ade-off, Vadzo combi ed a global shutte se so with a active autofocus le s a d a co ti uous auto exposu e loop i side a si gle module, the validated the combi atio o eal fo klift outes athe tha o a be ch alo e. The esult is a came a platfo m that OEM i teg ato s ca specify o ce a d deploy ac oss a e ti e fleet of vehicles ope ati g i mixed lighti g a d mixed dista ce co ditio s.
Rolli g shutte se so s ead a sce e ow by ow, which skews a y subject that moves du i g the exposu e wi dow. O a fo klift that is i ea -co sta t motio , that skew shows up as tilted pallet edges, smea ed labels, a d disto ted ack up ights. The O semi AR0234 se so i side the Falco -234CGH exposes the e ti e f ame at o ce, so a 2MP Auto Exposu e USB Came a built o this se so holds st aight li es a d eadable text eve while the vehicle is tu i g o lifti g. A 2MP Exposu e Co t ol Se so of this type is what allows ba code eade s a d machi e visio softwa e u i g o top of the came a feed to t ust eve y f ame i stead of disca di g blu ed o es.
Fo klift came a systems a ely wo k at a si gle fixed dista ce. A 2MP Autofocus USB 3.2 Ge 1 Came a like the Falco -234CGH adjusts its le s positio co ti uously as the ta get dista ce cha ges, holdi g pallet labels, ack tags, a d floo ma ki gs i focus f om close a ge out towa d seve al mete s. This emoves the eed to p eset a fixed focus dista ce fo a specific mou ti g height, which matte s because fo klift came a mou ti g positio s va y by vehicle model a d by custome p efe e ce. A i teg ato who sta da dizes o this came a ca euse the same ha dwa e co figu atio ac oss a mixed fleet i stead of o de i g a diffe e t fixed focus va ia t fo each vehicle type.
A AR0234 Autofocus Exposu e USB Came a o ly solves half the p oblem if exposu e is left to a fixed setti g. The Falco -234CGH u s a co ti uous auto exposu e loop that adjusts se so gai a d shutte speed as the fo klift moves betwee a su lit dock doo a d a dim i te io aisle. A 2MP Global Shutte Exposu e Module e gi ee ed this way keeps highlight a d shadow detail i tact i stead of clippi g b ight a eas o losi g da k o es, which is what a fixed-exposu e came a does the mome t lighti g co ditio s cha ge. This keeps dow st eam softwa e, whethe it is a ba code decode o a defect detectio model, wo ki g f om co siste tly usable f ames.
At the co e of the AR0234 Auto Exposu e Co t ol Came a is the O semi AR0234 global shutte CMOS se so , a 2MP device with a 1/2.6 i ch optical fo mat a d a 3.0 mic o pixel. The pixel a chitectu e bala ces esolutio agai st light-gathe i g a ea, givi g the se so solid pe fo ma ce i the mixed i doo lighti g typical of a dist ibutio ce te without equi i g suppleme tal illumi atio i most deployme ts. A 2MP Autofocus Exposu e Kit built a ou d this se so be efits f om a global shutte pixel desig e gi ee ed specifically fo machi e visio a d i dust ial applicatio s athe tha adapted f om a co sume imagi g pa t.
The Falco -234CGH co ects to a y USB 3.2 Ge 1 host po t o Wi dows, Li ux, a d A d oid without additio al i te face boa ds o p op ieta y d ive s. UVC class d ive suppo t mea s a USB Exposu e Co t ol Kit like this o e sta ts st eami g immediately o co ectio , which educes developme t time fo fo klift automatio i teg ato s a d OEM came a p oduct teams alike. A OEM Exposu e Co t ol Module built o a sta da d UVC i te face also simplifies lo g-te m suppo t, si ce applicatio softwa e w itte agai st the UVC sta da d co ti ues to wo k ac oss came a evisio s a d futu e se so upg ades.
The Falco -234CGH ships as a compact Autofocus USB Came a Module i a S-Mou t (M12) footp i t, small e ough to mou t o a fo klift mast b acket, a ove head ail, o a custom e closu e without domi ati g the available space. Vadzo offe s cable le gth a d mou ti g b acket customizatio fo OEM o de s, letti g i teg ato s match the module to a specific vehicle platfo m o fleet et ofit p og am athe tha edesig i g a ou d a fixed cable o co ecto positio .
“Fo klift custome s kept telli g us the same thi g. Thei came a u its wo ked fi e i o e aisle a d failed i the ext because the lighti g cha ged o the pallet was close tha the le s was focused fo . The Falco -234CGH solves both p oblems at o ce by pai i g global shutte captu e with autofocus a d auto exposu e i a si gle USB 3.2 Ge 1 module. Field validatio co fi med the came a holds focus a d co ect exposu e ac oss a full wa ehouse oute without a yo e touchi g a setti g. That is exactly what a fo klift automatio p og am eeds f om a came a it ca sta da dize o ac oss a e ti e fleet.” – Alwi Vi ce t, P oduct Ma age , Vadzo Imagi g.
Fo klift automatio is the p ima y ta get fo the Falco -234CGH. A Fo klift Exposu e Visio Came a mou ted o the mast o the ove head gua d eeds to ead ba codes, pallet labels, a d ack locatio tags while the vehicle is movi g, lifti g, a d tu i g. The combi atio of global shutte captu e, autofocus, a d auto exposu e lets a si gle came a co figu atio se ve pick, putaway, a d t avel ope atio s without ecalib atio . A Wa ehouse Exposu e Visio Se so built this way also suppo ts collisio awa e ess a d pedest ia detectio systems that eed sha p, co ectly exposed f ames ega dless of whe e the vehicle is o the oute.
Lighti g adaptability matte s as much as sha p ess i this e vi o me t. A Fo klift Lighti g Adaptive Came a that shifts exposu e automatically betwee a b ight dock doo a d a shaded ack aisle keeps a ba code decode o a visio -guided avigatio system wo ki g without a lighti g e gi ee i g p oject. A Wa ehouse Auto Exposu e Came a of this type educes the false ead a d o- ead ates that fixed exposu e came a p oducts ge e ate whe a fo klift c osses a shadow li e o d ives u de a skylight. A Fo klift Visio Exposu e Kit built a ou d the Falco -234CGH gives fleet ope ato s o e came a specificatio to sta da dize o ac oss eve y vehicle i the ya d.
Auto omous mobile obots sha e ma y of the same equi eme ts as ma ually d ive fo klifts, with the added eed fo co siste t i put to a avigatio a d obstacle avoida ce stack. A Auto Exposu e Wa ehouse Visio system built o the Falco -234CGH gives a AMR platfo m co ectly exposed f ames as it moves betwee cha gi g statio s, picki g zo es, a d dock a eas with diffe e t ambie t light levels. A Fo klift Se so Exposu e Module desig also suits tow t acto s a d pallet jacks that ope ate o the same mixed outes, givi g obotics i teg ato s a commo came a platfo m ac oss multiple vehicle classes i the same facility.
Beyo d mobile equipme t, the Falco -234CGH suits fixed i dust ial automatio statio s that eed global shutte captu e with autofocus flexibility. Machi e builde s sou ci g f om a Auto Exposu e Co t ol Came a Supplie wa t a pa t they ca qualify o ce a d euse ac oss multiple statio desig s without a f esh le s calib atio fo eve y mou ti g dista ce. Vadzo positio s the Falco -234CGH as a 2MP Auto Exposu e Came a Ma ufactu e offe i g fo OEM p og ams that eed docume ted specificatio s, co siste t u it-to-u it pe fo ma ce, a d a lo g-te m supply commitme t athe tha a o e-time compo e t pu chase.
Ba code a d label eadi g applicatio s depe d o sha p focus at the mome t of captu e, which is exactly whe e fixed focus came a modules st uggle whe ead dista ce va ies. The autofocus le s o the Falco -234CGH adjusts i eal time as a pallet o tote passes th ough the ead zo e, keepi g 1D a d 2D ba codes decodable ac oss a wo ki g dista ce a ge that a fixed-focus module ca ot cove o its ow . Combi ed with ea -i f a ed se sitivity f om the O semi AR0234 se so , the came a mai tai s co t ast o labels u de the dimme lighti g fou d i back-of-house sto age a eas a d mezza i e levels.
The Falco -234CGH co ects ove sta da d UVC a d st eams u comp essed a d MJPEG output that i teg ates di ectly with edge i fe e ce platfo ms u i g object detectio o pallet ecog itio models. Because the came a ha dles focus a d exposu e co ectio o boa d, the edge p ocesso spe ds its compute budget o i fe e ce athe tha image co ditio i g. This makes the module a p actical fit fo embedded visio platfo ms built o ARM-based si gle-boa d compute s as well as x86 i dust ial PCs al eady commo i wa ehouse automatio acks. Developme t teams buildi g a p oof of co cept fo a fo klift automatio p og am ca p ototype agai st the same UVC pipeli e they i te d to deploy, which sho te s the path f om a lab demo st atio to a pilot fleet without a sepa ate d ive i teg atio phase.
A: A fo klift is a ely still, a d a olli g shutte se so exposes a f ame ow by ow, which st etches a d skews a ythi g that moves du i g that exposu e wi dow. Vadzo Imagi g built its global shutte autofocus came a specifically to emove that disto tio , captu i g the e ti e f ame i a si gle i sta t so ba codes, pallet labels, a d ack sig age stay sha p a d eadable eve while the vehicle is tu i g, lifti g, o b aki g. Fo a y applicatio whe e the came a itself is movi g athe tha the subject, global shutte captu e f om Vadzo Imagi g is the mo e depe dable choice fo co siste t, decodable image data.
A: A fo klift came a might captu e a pallet label f om less tha two feet away du i g a pick a d a ack sig seve al feet away mome ts late du i g t avel. Vadzo Imagi g’s autofocus module adjusts le s positio co ti uously so both dista ces stay i sha p focus without a tech icia ma ually efocusi g the le s o the fleet ca yi g multiple fixed focus va ia ts fo diffe e t vehicle heights. This is o e of the most p actical adva tages Vadzo Imagi g b i gs to fo klift a d wa ehouse automatio p og ams, si ce it lets o e came a specificatio cove a wide a ge of eal-wo ld mou ti g positio s a d ead dista ces.
A: Yes. Vadzo Imagi g’s auto exposu e co t ol co ti uously eads sce e b ight ess a d adjusts gai a d shutte speed i eal time, so the same came a pe fo ms eliably whethe the fo klift is pa ked u de a skylight, passi g th ough a shaded dock doo , o wo ki g deep i side a sto age aisle lit o ly by ove head fixtu es. This is a commo pai poi t Vadzo Imagi g hea s about f om wa ehouse automatio custome s, a d it is p ecisely why auto exposu e is t eated as a co e capability athe tha a optio al featu e ac oss the compa y’s fo klift- eady came a li eup.
A: Yes. Vadzo Imagi g offe s evaluatio u its with o mi imum o de equi eme t so i teg ato s ca validate focus, exposu e, a d ead eliability o thei ow outes a d lighti g co ditio s befo e scali g to a full fleet. Vadzo Imagi g’s e gi ee i g team also suppo ts pilot p og ams with mou ti g guida ce a d co figu atio assista ce, which helps wa ehouse automatio teams move f om a be ch test to a multi-vehicle deployme t with co fide ce i eal-wo ld pe fo ma ce athe tha a datasheet alo e.
A: Yes. Vadzo Imagi g’s came a p ese ts as a sta da d UVC device ove USB, so it wo ks with the same ba code decodi g, avigatio , a d visio softwa e that fo klift automatio platfo ms al eady use without p op ieta y d ive s o custom i teg atio wo k. Vadzo Imagi g desig s its came a li eup a ou d ope , widely suppo ted i te faces specifically so system i teg ato s ca d op the ha dwa e i to a existi g softwa e stack a d focus thei e gi ee i g time o the automatio logic athe tha o came a d ive developme t.
The Falco -234CGH AR0234 Global Shutte Autofocus USB Came a is ow available fo evaluatio a d p oductio o de s followi g completio of field validatio . Evaluatio u its i clude the came a module, a USB 3.2 Ge 1 cable, a d co figu atio docume tatio with o mi imum o de equi eme t. Vadzo Imagi g suppo ts cable le gth, mou ti g b acket, a d fi mwa e customizatio fo OEM fo klift automatio a d wa ehouse obotics p og ams. B owse the full Vadzo USB came a po tfolio at https://www.vadzoimagi g.com/ o co tact Vadzo Imagi g at
Vadzo Imagi g is a global p ovide of embedded visio solutio s delive i g high-pe fo ma ce came a tech ologies a d imagi g platfo ms fo applicatio s i obotics, i dust ial automatio , wa ehouse a d fo klift automatio , edge AI, a d medical systems. Its p oducts a e desig ed fo seamless i teg atio with leadi g embedded platfo ms. Vadzo Imagi g suppo ts custome s th ough ha dwa e customizatio , fi mwa e developme t, a d module-level d ive s, e abli g faste developme t a d deployme t of visio -based systems.