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Innovating is second nature to camera solutions supplier , Opticom
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An Opticom CC04 Series IP network camera
It ’ s a scene typical of any sawmill in North America : a debarker machine hammers away at its task with a tiny camera mounted on the framework , monitoring the process . The vibration is relentless , but the video feed is constant and clear .
Most closed-circuit video cameras would be hard pressed to be mounted anywhere near this machinery , never mind on it – but this is no ordinary camera . It is the Opticom Technologies CC02 Series camera , built for just such an application .
Opticom is no stranger to developing video solutions for out of this world situations . In the 1970s it rose to the challenge of the Space Shuttle program by developing varifocal lenses that would function seamlessly in space . As Opticom president and founder David Boyd explains : “ It ’ s always been about finding video solutions to difficult applications . We love the challenge .”
In the 1990s , Opticom saw the potential for cameras built for harsh environments , specifically the British Columbia sawmill industry . After many months of development , Opticom released the CC02 Series Camera – the ultimate camera for high vibration applications . The CC02 soon fulfilled the needs of the dozens of
36 International Forest Industries | APRIL / MAY 2017
Sawmills and wood processing plants are not the only industrial operations that regard the CC02 as invaluable
BC mills , and mills across Canada began purchasing the camera on a regular basis to replace the `security-style ’ cameras they had been using , or when a new line was implemented .
The CC02 ’ s success was amazing . In certain mill locations , conditions were so extreme that the `security-style ’ cameras failed after only a few months , but the CC02s have lasted for years .
The secret to the success of the CC02 is all in the design . The camera is compact , easily fitting into the palm of one ’ s hand . But its small size is deceptive , as the rugged titanium alloy housing is virtually indestructible . Plus , the CC02 is also totally impervious to dust , water , and can withstand temperatures from -60 to + 80 ° C without any heater or blower required .
Opticom ’ s design team also developed a unique universal mounting bracket for the camera that enables installation in just minutes , even the tightest spaces . This feature alone has made the CC02 a favourite with industrial installers across North America .
Tom Fulton , sawmill / dry kiln manager for Britton Lumber in New Hampshire summed it up when he said : “ A great little system – installed over a half hour lunch break . The guys using it are
amazed at the clarity .”
Sawmills and wood processing plants are not the only industrial operations that regard the CC02 as invaluable . In 2005 , Planetworks Consulting Corporation engineer Colin Savage chose the CC02 as the video monitoring solution for the $ 800 million Seymour Capilano Twin Tunnels Project , which consisted of two 3.8m-wide , 7.1kmlong tunnels bored under Grouse and Fromme Mountains for water infrastructure enhancement .
Savage said : “ I would challenge others to find a harsher environment than a Tunnel Boring Machine . We used cameras at multiple locations along the TBM to view progress and as indicators for material conveyance .
“ These cameras were mounted beside conveyor belts , which had hard rock tunneling waste transported at high speed past the camera . It was not uncommon for small and medium sized rocks to hit these cameras on the lens and body . They stood up to this punishment 24 / 7 , and the only thing replaced occasionally was the protective glass on the camera enclosure .”
Opticom continually researches the development of new products with new technologies . Considering that the analog video technology driving the original CC02 is nearly obsolete , Opticom has now released a new generation of CC02s based on high definition analog or TVI ( Transport Video Interface ) technology .
The TVI equipment is easily integrated into existing coaxial cable systems and delivers the equivalent of 2 megapixel ( 1080P ) resolution , while retaining all of the durability and reliability customers have come to expect . This new technology allows customers to migrate to high definition video without having to rewire or re-learn video transmission .
Another new Opticom product development for the sawmill industry is a camera with specialized corrosion resistant housing designed for installation inside wood kilns .
“ We do our best to respond to our customers ’ needs , and this is a perfect example of a unique camera developed for a very challenging application ,” says Boyd .
Opticom has also developed products such as the CC04 Series camera for IP infrastructure . Like the CC02 camera , the CC04 was designed to overcome the same
FOREST PRODUCTS nasty environmental challenges
and is compatible INNOTECH
INNOVATIONS
with
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all
TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM totally ONVIF compliant video
management software platforms . These cameras have been satisfactorily installed in many sfpaexpo . com mills worldwide . The CC04 Series incorporates all the vibration resistance and durability of the CC02 in an IP format .
Today , Opticom sells cameras throughout North America and Europe to hundreds of customers in a wide range of industries that are looking for reliability and video system support .
Sawmills and wood processing plants are not the only industrial operations that regard the CC02 as invaluable