Mounting RadarImager#

The RadarImager can be mounted in different ways depending on the application. It is designed to be mounted above a constantly moving target object. Although the RadarImager needs an orthogonal alignment, the full axis system can be turned, e.g. in case the conveyor belt is not horizontal.

Typical Orientations#

Acquisition Range#

The RadarImager has an acquisition range of 0.1m to 0.5m. Mount the RadarImager so that all layers of interest are within this range.

The image quality decreases with increasing distance, so it is recommended to mount the RadarImager as close as possible to the minimum acquisition distance.

Since the image quality is best at the center of the image, mount the RadarImager so that the object is in the center of the image.

Alignment#

Ensure the mechanical construction is stable and orthogonal to the target object's movement direction:

• Parallel Alignment: The bottom area of the RadarImager should be parallel to the movement area within ±0.3°.
• Orthogonality: The RadarImager axis should be orthogonal to the movement axis within ±0.75°.
• Fine Tuning: Include options for fine-tuning in the mechanical construction.

Initial Alignment#

1. Check Level: Use a water scale or laser scans for the initial alignment. This mostly achieves an already good quality level.
2. Optimize: For further optimization strategies and references, refer to the Optimize Image Quality guide.

Object Speed#

The object speed must be known and configured as a parameter objectSpeedX. Use a tachometer or other speed measurement tools to determine the object speed ±1mm/s

For further optimization strategies and references, refer to the Optimize Image Quality guide.

Trigger Event#

When the target object reaches the radar range, a trigger event must be generated to start capturing an image. To create a trigger event, connect a trigger sensor (e.g. light barrier) to the RadarImager on Port1.

Depending on your setup, you can choose the direction sensitive imageTriggerMode to also detect the correct movement direction of the object. To use this feature, a second trigger sensor must be connected to Port2.

The trigger sensor connected to Port1 always creates the trigger event, so it must be mounted closer to the RadarImager than the optionally connected sensor to Port2.

The trigger sensor connected to Port1 must be mounted before the system reference line. The distance between the trigger sensor and the system reference line can be configured with the parameter offsetDistanceX.

Note: Speed measurement with external trigger sensors is not supported!

For more information about mounting-related configuration, see Measurement Parameters.