[Metrology] Mill Spindle Mounted Microscope (aka Cheap Optical Comparator)

KMoffett said:
I decided I'd take a whack at adding video to my ENCO(?) centering microscope. To adjust scope cross-hairs you have to repeatedly swing the scope 90° to the left and 90° to the right while adjusting the lens tilt and the table's X axis. To many bumps on the head from the CNC display and other stuff hanging there.
I looked for a small, cheap webcam and settled on this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000Q3VECE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00
Pulled the base and bail off to reduce the size. Used scrap PVC pipe for the mount. 1/2" Schedule 80 bored through to slip fit over the centering scope. 10-32 drilled and tapped on the side for a nylon thumb screw. 3/4" Schedule 40 bored through to slip fit over the 1/2" PVC and bored 0.16" deep to press fit the camera's lens collar. I glued the 3/4" PVC on the end of the 1/2" PVC. Because the camera lens collar was a bit wobbly, once I had the cross-hairs focused and centered in the video display, I hot melt glued the body to the collar. The optics are not the greatest, but are OK for my purpose. The attached laptop display is a 0.020" hole in an aluminum plate.

Ken
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A great solution to your pain in the neck problem!
 
Ken_Shea said:
Ken,
What is the width of your cross hair?

The other Ken :acne:
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Ken,

I have not considered that. Your guess is as good as mine from my first posted image. The scope is x40. The hole was drilled to be 0.020". So it looks like the cross hairs would be less than 0.001"?

I borrowed a calibration slide that's scaled at 0.001". Did a 4x software zoom. It looks like the cross hairs are ~0.0005". This really shows off the poor video resolution on fine detail. :( Well for $16.99 it will do what I was looking for. :)

Ken

Img2015_0916_105925.png
 
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I ordered my camera on Aug 30 from Bang Good, still waiting.
 
I got my camera yesterday. I just had time to test it, and found it will work with my vision software in WinXP Pro with out installing any drivers. Windows seems to recognize it using the Windows WDM drivers. I'll get a chance to play with it in a day or two and program a stand alone video measuring app! I'll see if I can to get it to work on Win8 also.
 
I finally got around to playing with the camera microscope. I had to write some new software to get it to work. The only thing I really accomplished was to get it to work at all and get the cross-hairs on the screen.

Attached is DC_Microscope.zip. It is an installer package to install the program on your computer. This has been tested on WinXP, Win 7, and Win 8, installs and works fine. When installing, if it asks you if you want to keep your existing Quartz.dll file, YES, keep your existing file.

This is just a starting point, and could be auto measuring, optical CMM, or whatever. Input and ideas for use are welcomed and encouraged. What would you like it do?

Here is a screen shot of the calibration card that comes with the microscope. The cross-hairs look like they're < 0.001 wide, but this is dependent on the magnification.

ScreenShot.jpg
 

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Perfect timing - I ordered one of the cameras from Banggood last month when they were on special for $8.44 and it camera arrived on Friday. Can't wait to give it a try
 
MozamPete said:
Perfect timing - I ordered one of the cameras from Banggood last month when they were on special for $8.44 and it camera arrived on Friday. Can't wait to give it a try
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Good thing you're a ways away from me, Pete, I'd be buzzing around your workshop like an annoying arsefly asking daft questions every day ;)
 
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