Optical Design
Specialized optical component that maintains a constant magnification regardless of the distance between the lens and the object ensures high accuracy in three-dimensional measurement. A telecentric lens produces an image where the chief rays are parallel to the optical axis, eliminating the perspective error found in standard optics. Telecentricity is critical for inspecting boards with tall components or varying surface heights.
Parallax Elimination
Parallax errors are removed because the entrance or exit pupil is located at infinity. When using a telecentric lens, a component does not appear to change size if it moves slightly closer to the camera. This stability allows for precise gauging of hole diameters and component widths even if the board is not perfectly flat.
Measurement Consistency
Size and weight of these assemblies are typically larger than conventional lenses due to the requirement for the front element to be larger than the object being imaged. Because of this physical constraint, they are often used for small-scale inspection of individual chips or connectors rather than for viewing entire large circuit boards. The cost of the glass also limits its use to applications where measurement precision is more important than the width of the field of view.
High-end automated systems combine these lenses with precise motion control to scan larger areas without introducing perspective shifts.