I. Types and Disadvantages of Machine Vision Light Sources
An ideal light source should be stable, bright, and uniform. There are mainly three types of light sources used in vision recognition systems: high - frequency fluorescent tubes, fiber optic LED light sources, and LED (light - emitting diode) lighting fixtures.

• Fiber Optic LED Light Sources: They have a service life of about 1,000 hours. Advantages: High brightness. Disadvantages: Slow response time, usually with no changes in brightness and color temperature.
• High - Frequency Fluorescent Tubes: Their service life ranges from 1,500 to 3,000 hours. Advantages: Good diffusion, suitable for large - scale uniform illumination. Disadvantages: Slow response time and relatively low brightness.
• LED Lights: They have a service life of about 100,000 hours. High brightness can be achieved by using multiple LEDs. In addition, they can be configured into different shapes. They have a fast response time, and the wavelength can be selected according to specific applications.

II. Advantages of Machine Vision Light Sources

• They can be made into various shapes, specifications, and illumination angles.
• They can be made into various colors as required, and the brightness can be changed at any time.
• With heat dissipation design, the heat dissipation effect is better, and the brightness is more stable.
• They have a long service life (about 100,000 hours, and even longer if used intermittently).
• They have a fast response, and can reach maximum brightness within 10 microseconds or less.
• The power supply has an external trigger function. It can be triggered quickly according to the motion control system and can be used as a stroboscopic light.
• LEDs with low operating costs and long service lives show more advantages in terms of overall cost and performance.
• They can be custom - made according to customers' needs.

Under different inspection products, different machine vision light sources need to be tested. Therefore, continuous summarization and testing are required to find the suitable machine vision light source.