Author: Midopt Admin

Midwest Optical Systems Expands Operations with a New Manufacturing Facility in Southeast Wisconsin

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Aimed to Boost Production and Meet Rising Demand for Optical Filters

PALATINE, Ill. (October 20, 2023) – Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt®), an industry leader in machine vision filters and optical solutions, announced the opening of its second location, a manufacturing facility in southeast Wisconsin.

With over three decades of experience and innovation in optical design, fabrication, and inspection, MidOpt® has been at the forefront of providing high-quality products designed specifically for machine vision applications. The new facility is part of the company’s strategic expansion plan to meet the growing demand for their products worldwide.

“We are thrilled about this significant milestone,” said MidOpt® President Mike Giznik. “The new manufacturing facility will not only allow us to increase our production capacity but also enhance our ability to deliver innovative and customized solutions faster.”

The new state-of-the-art facility features advanced machinery and technology that will enhance all facets of production from prototyping to large volume manufacturing runs. This includes the manufacturing of proprietary MidOpt® StablEDGE® Filters, which offer superior wavelength control at any angle – critical as machine vision imaging moves toward more compact inspection layouts.

“Expanding our operations signals our commitment to serving our customers better by ensuring we can meet their needs quickly and efficiently,” Mike added. “We look forward to continuing to produce cutting-edge optical filter technologies that elevate machine vision capabilities across the industry.”

About Midwest Optical Systems

Midwest Optical Systems (MidOpt®) has more than 30 years of experience and innovation in the fields of optical design, fabrication, and inspection. As a worldwide leader in machine vision filters and optical solutions, they are represented in over 30 countries and offer more than 3,000 cutting-edge products. From optical bandpass filters to custom optics, MidOpt® is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in optical technology. For more information, visit midopt.com.

The new MidOpt® North production facility in Delavan, Wisconsin

Protect your machine vision system with optical grade Acrylic windows

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MidOpt® offers a glass alternative filter line that is commonly used for potentially harsh environments, as well as food-safe inspection applications, such as those regulated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). These regulations prohibit glass in the inspection area. Acrylic windows are lightweight but impact resistant to provide a high-level of protection for your application while meeting these safety needs.

MidOpt offers a variety of high transmission (between 90-98%) acrylics that can be laser-cut to your precise specifications. These Acrylic windows are also available in threaded mounts from M22.5 to M105.

These MidOpt Acrylic windows have an Anti-Reflective coating that maximizes for maximum transmission, and the Oleophobic coating offered on the AC370 and AC400 prevents smudges and resists the buildup of oils and moisture and also helps aid cleaning.

MidOpt also offers Acrylic for Near-Infrared (NIR) applications, such as the AC760 and AC800, which passes only NIR light while blocking visible light. These filters are are well-suited for use with illumination in the 880nm and 940nm range. In addition, MidOpt also offers the AC900 and AC915 Acrylic filters for applications operating in Short-wave Infrared (SWIR).

View our complete line of Acrylic filter options here, or visit our Distributor page to find a distributor near you.

MidOpt published in inVISION, April 2023

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Safeguards: How to Select the Right Protective Optical Window

by James Gardiner

When choosing a protective window, we first need to select the substrate material. For applications where the optics may be prone to scratches or used as a wear plate, a scratch resistant material should be selected. If the window will be exposed to high temperatures, like in a hot steel or glass factory, a material with a higher temperature rating is important. If the system uses a thermal or LWIR sensor, a material that can withstand harsh environments should be chosen.

Protective windows are an essential element in any automation system. Although they may not be a fundamental component, they serve an integral purchase in safeguarding critical components. Protective windows are one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure system longevity, repeatability, and reliability. With so many material and coating options, here’s how to select the best protective window for our system.

When choosing a protective window, we first need to select the substrate material. For applications where the optics may be prone to scratches or used as a wear plate, a scratch resistant material should be selected. If the window will be exposed to high temperatures, like in a hot steel or glass factory, a material with a higher temperature rating is important. If the system uses a thermal or LWIR sensor, a material that can withstand harsh environments should be chosen.

Read More See Page 40

MidOpt published in Photonics Vision Spectra, Winter 2022

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Selecting the Right Filter Is Critical to SWIR Imaging

by James Gardiner

Industrial Optical Filters for SWIR (Short-Wave Infrared) imaging.

Shortwave IR (SWIR) imaging has seen a surge in use in recent years, playing an important role in imaging agricultural products, food, pharmaceuticals, and high-heat glass and metal manufacturing. Given the strong absorption of moisture within the SWIR range, users can check fill levels in opaque bottles, visualize underlying features such as anti-counterfeiting security codes, or use the technology for a wide range of other applications.

Innovations in sensor technology, availability, and cost have opened the door for more and more applications that can be addressed with NIR and SWIR. Just like with monochrome and color cameras, picking the right filter can mean the difference between a poor image and an acceptable one.

One of the most critical advancements has been in innovation sensor technology. Recent SWIR cameras have integrated both quantum dot SWIR sensors and Sony’s new IMX990 and IMX991 SenSWIR sensors, which are unique in that they are sensitive to the visible, NIR, and SWIR portions of the spectrum.


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2022 Detroit Automate Show | Video Interviews

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Georgy Das interviews three manufacturers at the 2022 Detroit Automate show about their new products, and discuss how MidOpt® products have played a key role in their solutions.

CEI speaks about their new industrial camera enclosures, and how the MidOpt® AC380 Protective Window with oleophobic coating is integrated in their solution.
Brad Reynolds from CCS America speaks about their new curved OLED light, and explains their use of a
MidOpt® BP470 Bandpass Filter.
Austin O’Neill from METAPHASE discusses their new TX Bar Light, and the benefits of the
MidOpt® BF590 BACKLIGHT FluoreSHEET™.

MidOpt Receives ISO Certification

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Palatine, Ill. (May 11, 2021) – MidOpt® has received ISO 9001:2015 certification, the world’s most widely recognized quality management standard. In order to receive ISO Certification, MidOpt® underwent a strict evaluation process that reviewed our business practices and product quality guidelines.

Achieving ISO certification shows our commitment to effectively providing a quality management system that will continue to improve our products, services, and internal processes. We look forward to continuing to work with our global partners. Thank you for choosing MidOpt®.

BP450 and BN450 Indigo Bandpass Filter by MidOpt

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New MidOpt® BP450 Indigo Bandpass Filter and BN450 Narrow Indigo Bandpass Filter

Palatine, Ill.

Enhance the viewing of subjects illuminated by a 450nm blue LED or laser light source. Both the BP450 and BN450 are each designed as a bandpass filter for 450nm blue light sources to better see results in applications such as UV fluorescing.

MidOpt® introduces the BP450 Indigo Bandpass and the BN450 Narrow Indigo Bandpass, two new filters designed for multi-application use.

The MidOpt BP450 Indigo Bandpass Filter is commonly used in fluorescence applications with an emission ranging from (430-460nm). It is suitable for use with LED or laser diodes with higher than normal ambient lighting conditions.

Blue LED Illumination and UV Excited Blue Fluorescence Applications:

The BP450 is an excellent choice for enhancing viewing of subjects illuminated by a 450nm blue LED. For UV Fluorescence applications, its broad bandwidth and high peak transmission results in significantly brighter, higher contrast images.

Blue Laser Applications:

The BN450 Narrow Indigo Bandpass is a great choice for use with 3D blue laser triangulation systems used for measuring position, distance, level, displacement, proximity and profiles of objects. This also includes industrial process automation and control, as well as for test and measurement in process monitoring and validation. It is also highly-effective when used in applications with higher than normal ambient lighting conditions.

StableEDGE® and A/R-Coated:

As with all MidOpt optical bandpass filters, the BP450 and BN450 are both manufactured with MidOpt StablEDGE® technology making them less sensitive to angle of incidence variations than traditional interference filters. They are also both coated with the MidOpt BBAR Anti-reflection coating. Both filters are available with standard lens mounts ranging from 13.25mm to 105mm. They are also available in unmounted sizes up to a 165mm square