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DCM Sistemes SAL0504A machine vision lighting
DCM SistemesCoaxial / axial
  • Rosepetal compatible
  • Recommended by AIS Vision

DCM Sistemes SAL0504A 90° Diffuse Axial Light

SAL0504A

The SAL0504A is part of DCM Sistemes' SAL series of 90° diffuse axial lights, where the camera views the object reflected on the same beamsplitter through which light enters the part, producing very homogeneous illumination free of shines and shadows while keeping the total setup height low. It has a 49x40 mm active (emission) surface in an 83x63x77 mm anodized-aluminium housing weighing 330 g, rated IP40, with a recommended working distance under 100 mm. It is available in blue (470 nm), green (525 nm), red (630 nm), IR (850 nm) and white wavelengths and in three operating modes: Continuous (Type C, 6.1 W at 24 VDC), Strobe (Type S, e.g. 880 mA/21 W) and Intelligent (Type i) with integrated iBlueDrive strobe-controller technology. Power is 24 VDC; Type C/S units use a 2-pin male chassis connector and Type i units a 3-pin aerial inline connector.

Brand
DCM Sistemes
Lighting type
90° diffuse axial / coaxial
Color / wavelength
Available in white, red (630nm), blue (470nm), green (525nm), IR (850nm)
Available wavelengths
White, Blue 470nm, Green 525nm, Red 630nm, IR 850nm
Mode
Continuous (Type C), Strobe (Type S), Intelligent/iBlueDrive (Type i)
Working distance
RWD <100 mm
Diffuser
Yes (diffuse axial light via beamsplitter)
Controller required
No for Continuous (Type C); strobe via VST controller (Type S); Type i has integrated iBlueDrive controller
IP rating
IP40
Illuminated area
Active surface 49 x 40 mm
Emission angle
Diffuse (axial)
Driver technology
iBlueDrive integrated strobe controller (Type i variants)
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Technical overview

The SAL0504A is a 90 degree diffuse axial (coaxial) illuminator: light from the LED array is folded through an integrated beamsplitter so that it travels along the same optical axis the camera looks through, and the camera in turn views the part reflected in that same beamsplitter. The result is illumination that strikes the part nearly head-on and very uniformly, eliminating the shines and shadows that ringlights and bar lights produce on glossy or specular surfaces. The active emission surface measures 49 x 40 mm, so it is sized to flood a small-to-medium field-of-view directly beneath the camera; because the camera images the part through the beamsplitter, the whole stack stays low-profile, which is the geometric trade you accept for that clean, glare-free wash of light. DCM specifies a recommended working distance under 100 mm, so this is a close-coupled light meant to sit just above the part rather than a long-throw fixture.

The unit is offered in white plus four monochromatic wavelengths: blue 470 nm, green 525 nm, red 630 nm and IR 850 nm. That choice is the main contrast-engineering lever available here. Because axial light reveals surface flatness and reflectivity differences, pairing a monochromatic version with a matched bandpass filter lets you suppress ambient light and sharpen the contrast between a specular substrate and a matte or engraved mark on it. The light ships in three operating modes that differ in how they are driven: Continuous (Type C) draws 6.1 W max at 24 VDC and needs no external controller; Strobe (Type S) is pulsed through an external VST controller and can be overdriven for short, bright flashes (for example 880 mA / 21 W in the visible range, up to 50 W for the IR variant); and Intelligent (Type i) integrates DCM's iBlueDrive strobe-controller technology inside the light itself, so you get strobe overdrive without a separate controller box.

Mechanically and electrically the fixture is straightforward to design in. The housing is anodized aluminium at 83 x 63 x 77 mm and 330 g, rated IP40, with an operating temperature window of 0 to 40 C, so it is built for clean indoor inspection cells rather than washdown or harsh environments. All variants run on 24 VDC, with a tighter supply tolerance on the Continuous and Strobe types (plus/minus 3%) than on the Intelligent type (plus/minus 8%). Connection differs by mode: Type C and Type S use a 2-pin male chassis connector, while the Type i version uses a 3-pin aerial inline connector on a 715 mm lead, the extra pin reflecting the trigger line that the integrated controller needs.

Best for

  • Reading laser-etched, peened or printed codes (DataMatrix, OCR/OCV) on shiny metal or plastic where a ringlight would burn out the surface with glare
  • Surface-defect inspection on specular or semi-gloss parts such as anodized metal, coated electronics housings and polished components, where uniform on-axis light makes scratches, dents and stains visible
  • Presence/absence and print-quality verification on glossy packaging and printed labels in the packaging and printing sectors
  • Dimensional and edge-feature checks on flat, reflective parts that need shadow-free, even illumination across a 49 x 40 mm field
  • High-speed inline inspection using the Strobe (Type S) or Intelligent (Type i) iBlueDrive mode to freeze motion with a bright, short pulse on moving product

Selection notes

  • This is a close-working light: design the camera mount around the under-100 mm recommended working distance and remember the camera images the part through the beamsplitter, so account for the added stack height and the roughly half-of-the-light loss inherent to beamsplitter (coaxial) geometry when budgeting exposure.
  • Match the field of view to the 49 x 40 mm active emission surface; this fixture is intended for small-to-medium FOVs directly under the camera, not for large-area or long-throw illumination.
  • Choose the mode deliberately: Type C (6.1 W continuous) needs no controller for static or slow lines; Type S adds strobe brightness but requires an external VST controller; Type i embeds the iBlueDrive controller so you get strobe overdrive without a separate box, at the cost of a different 3-pin aerial connector (715 mm lead) and a looser 24 VDC tolerance (plus/minus 8%).
  • Pick the wavelength for the contrast problem, not by default: select a monochromatic version (470/525/630/850 nm) plus a matched bandpass filter to beat ambient light and maximize mark-vs-substrate contrast, or white for general color/visual work. Note the IR variant draws more strobe power (up to 50 W vs 21 W visible).
  • The IP40 rating and 0 to 40 C operating range mean this light suits clean, climate-controlled inspection enclosures; it is not specified for washdown, dusty or wet environments, so plan enclosure protection accordingly.

Specifications: General
BrandDCM Sistemes
Lighting type90° diffuse axial / coaxial

Specifications: Interface
Connection2-pin male chassis connector (Type C/S); 3-pin aerial inline connector, L=715mm (Type i)

Specifications: Optical
Color / wavelengthAvailable in white, red (630nm), blue (470nm), green (525nm), IR (850nm)
Available wavelengthsWhite, Blue 470nm, Green 525nm, Red 630nm, IR 850nm
Working distanceRWD <100 mm
DiffuserYes (diffuse axial light via beamsplitter)
Emission angleDiffuse (axial)

Specifications: Electrical
ModeContinuous (Type C), Strobe (Type S), Intelligent/iBlueDrive (Type i)
Controller requiredNo for Continuous (Type C); strobe via VST controller (Type S); Type i has integrated iBlueDrive controller
Driver technologyiBlueDrive integrated strobe controller (Type i variants)
Power consumption6.1 W max (Type C continuous, 24VDC); Strobe 21 W (visible) / 50 W (IR)
Supply voltage24 VDC (±3% Type C/S, ±8% Type i)

Specifications: Environment
IP ratingIP40
Operating temperature0 - 40 °C (operating)

Specifications: Geometry
Illuminated areaActive surface 49 x 40 mm

Specifications: Mechanical
Housing materialAnodized aluminium
Dimensions83 x 63 x 77 mm
Weight330 g

Frequently asked questions

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