Advanced Illumination - Dark Field Ring Lights

The MicroBrite DF196 Series Dark Field ring lights deliver focused, medium angle illumination on target. As with the DF198 Series, they are available in multiple diameters and offer an RGB option. The DF196 Series lights differ from the DF198 Series in that they were designed to be placed at a set working distance, providing a focused, fixed-size spot on target. As is typical of Dark Field ring lights, the DF196 lights are best suited for enhancing surface contrast based on topography changes, edges and also surface defects, particualrly on specular reflective surfaces.

The MicroBrite DF198 Series Dark Field ring lights are designed to provide diffuse, medium- to low-angle-of-incidence illumination when positioned at working distances less than or equal to the light’s diameter.

Owing to its curved diffuser, the DF198 Series is also suitable for applications requiring diffuse Bright Field lighting when the light is positioned at working distances longer than its diameter.

The unique combination of 5 available light diameters and a variety of possible working distances offers potential solutions for multiple light geometries, intensity, and target pattern size in a single light head.

• Diffuse Multi-Angle Illumination: with Multiple Working Distance Options. High-Intensity LEDs with a curved diffuser allow for close-up Dark Field or longer working-distance Bright Field work.

• High Power LEDs: Equipped with industrial-grade LEDs capable of high-output strobe and continuous operation, all while maintaining a long lifespan.

• M4 Mounting Points: Engineered with four opposing M4 mounting points for highly adjustable positioning.

The DF241 very low angle Dark Field ring light was designed for the most demanding surface inspection applications. It is best suited for use on flat, specular reflective surfaces that require the lowest angle of incidence to contrast minor surface defects, such as scratches or pits. To achieve the proper light geometry, this light head must be positioned no more than 25 mm from the surface for optimal results. The DF241 ring light differs from the DF196 Dark Field light in that the LEDs are physically focused to a point in space, rather than utilizing a focusing lens. The precision LED aiming produce a thin, yet very uniform slice of light whose footprint on target is quite small compared to the light head diameter.

The DF242 ring light is designed to function like the DF241 light in that it also produces a thin slice of light for very low-angle surface defect detection. The positioning requirements and application envelope are similar to those of the DF241. The DF242’s larger diameter allows an additional LED aim that projects a 2x larger spot size on target compared with the DF241 light. The DF242 ring light differs from the DF196 Dark Field light in a similar fashion to the DF241. Namely, it uses aimed LEDs rather than a central focusing lens, producing a relatively smaller spot projection at close working distance than medium-angle Dark Field ring lights.