System designers in every industry must strive to increase performance and reduce costs within a short development time. This is especially challenging in the defense and security markets that have special requirements for both the products and the supply chain. Commercially available products are an attractive option, do they really save money and help differentiate your system? Here are some things to consider when selecting a camera and vendor for an electro-optical system. By Adimec

1. DESIGNING CAMERAS
INTO RUGGED
ELECTRO-OPTICAL
SYSTEMS

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
System designers in every industry must strive to increase
performance and reduce costs within a short development time.
This is especially challenging in the defense and security markets
that have special requirements for both the products and the
supply chain. Commercially available products are an attractive
option, but do they really save money and help differentiate your
system? Here are some things to consider when selecting a
camera and vendor for an electro-optical system.
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3. CAMERAS THAT ARE OPTIMIZED TO THE
APPLICATION CAN OFFER PERFORMANCE
ADVANTAGES AND REDUCE COSTS.
The military and defense industries are big users of
advanced camera technology. Sophisticated electrooptical systems are essential for the safety of
personnel, as well as the effectiveness of weapons
3 options to meet your
camera needs
and overall military strategy on land, sea, and air.
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (or Commercially Available
System redesigns, workarounds, and software
Off-the-Shelf), or COTS solutions, are generating a
adjustments for inadequate quality and functionality
lot of buzz for defense imaging systems.
are often inefficient and costly in the end.
Many defense contractors would prefer to use COTS
Building it yourself may initially sound appealing
products to have a shorter time to market, use of
since you will have total control over the product;
the latest technologies, and presumably lower costs.
however, when leading edge technology is required,
The problem is that these products must also meet
working with a camera specialist can save huge
detailed specifications and exacting standards, be
amounts of time by eliminating the learning curve.
qualified for extended performance, and have a long
life cycle – none of which are typical in the commercial
Utilizing an optimized camera from the start
allows for more focus on your core technologies by
marketplace.
eliminating the need for your own additional design
So when a COTS solution will not meet all of your
work. When you deal with lengthy product life cycles
needs, you have 3 options: build it yourself, build a
in your industry, custom cameras also provide better
workaround in the imaging system, or pay a supplier
continuity and obsolescence management.
to customize their camera to your specifications. An
immediate reaction to the term customization is that
it will cost more than an off-the-shelf solution. But a
careful analysis of the total cost (Cost of Ownership)
shows the opposite to be true.
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4. CUSTOM
SOLUTIONS
Developers need to deliver systems that are faster, offer
Furthermore, a customized solution allows you to
more capabilities, and meet unique implementation
differentiate your system and market proposition.
requirements. That’s a daunting task, particularly if your
In many cases, these customized products can still be
main business isn’t cameras.
considered commercial items – e.g., when modified in the
In many ways, the core components of how high-end
same ways as available in the commercial marketplace or if
imaging systems are put together are similar from system
only minor modifications are made.
to system and company to company – cameras, sensors,
interfaces, connectivity, power supplies, etc. are generally
If you decide to seek a customized solution from a 3rd party,
the same. The challenge is to take those core building
what are your options? How can an electronic component
blocks and develop a system that does something unique
be “tailored”?
to better serve your customer’s needs than the competition.
OPTIONS FOR CUSTOMIZATION
Customization is a broad term that can range from a minor tweak of a standard product to a ground up design of a
camera for a specialized system. For example, you may require a camera with features such as automatic integration
time, higher resolution, and color processing. Or, you may need an entirely custom form factor to fit in a very specific
operating environment.
1. Tailored camera
Addition of functionality to an existing
product
2. Customized solution
Combining previously developed
modules from a platform
3. Fully customized solution
Building a new camera from scratch
Oftentimes a camera vendor may have a good starting product, which simply lacks
certain functionality, such as automatic exposure control, video enhancement, or
color processing. In this case, a tailored camera can be created quickly, with high
quality, and minimal costs, by an experienced manufacturer.
This is best done using a platform approach where you can create the camera
you need by selecting a combination of developed and tested building blocks. For
example, there could be an option of sensors, functionality packages, and interfaces
that can be combined and packaged as needed (or left as a board level). The end
result can be short time to market, low costs, and low risks.
All of the camera components – sensor, functionality, interface, outline – are
specified exactly by the customer. This could be required for extreme environmental
conditions, where an exceptionally rugged design and specific extended testing is
required. It may also be beneficial when a less common component is determined to
be necessary. While this would be a more expensive option, you will still save money
by having it built by camera experts.
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5. CHOICE OF CAMERA
MANUFACTURER
When deciding which camera
If you are a defense contractor and
manufacturer to use for a fully
ruggedization and MIL-SPEC qualification
customized, customized or tailored
is a critical modification, consider also
solution
the following when selecting a vendor:
» Do they have experience with your
specific additional requirements, such as
extended shock and vibration testing?
» How close is a starting product or
platform to what you require in the end?
» Are they committed to the defense
industry?
» Is their supply chain and product
design optimized to support long term
programs?
» Is the additional functionality you require » Do they have product life cycle
in a module that has already been
management procedures, like change &
developed and tested?
control management?
» Are they committed to developing and
maintaining customized products?
» Do they have thorough procedures
» Do they follow strict production and
quality procedures?
» Can they ruggedize (with certification)
to ensure the quality of a modified
existing COTS products and guarantee
product?
long-term delivery?
» Do they have volume production
» Do they already have products that
capabilities for several modified
have been used in extreme conditions,
products?
including the battlefield?
» Do they have sufficient life cycle
management of component
obsolescence to eliminate costly
changes?
THE BOTTOM LINE: WHEN YOU WORK WITH AN
EXPERIENCED VENDOR, CUSTOMIZATION REDUCES
COSTS.
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6. ADIMEC
Adimec specializes in the development and
manufacturing of high-performance cameras that meet
the application-specific requirements of key market
segments, including machine vision, medical imaging,
and outdoor imaging. Founded in 1992, the company
partners with major OEMs around the world to facilitate
the creation of industry-leading cameras.
The unique Adimec True Accurate Imaging® technology
provides new levels of precision and accuracy to vision
systems. Its diverse line of camera products meet a
wide range of performance, size, cost, interface and
application requirements. Adimec has offices around
the world focused on creating customer value and
satisfaction through local, personalized support.
Need more inspiration? Contact us www.adimec.com
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