Curious about the technology behind today’s machine vision cameras? Look no further than GigE Vision.
They power a majority of industrial imaging applications today, from shop floors to inspection areas. There’s a reason for that.
GigE Vision cameras provide high speed imaging over standard ethernet cables. No more need for costly frame grabbers.
Best of all?
GigE Vision is easy to implement. It’s scalable for applications of all sizes.
In this guide, we’ll explain everything you need to know about this common machine vision standard, including:
- What Is GigE Vision?
- Why GigE Vision Cameras Matter
- Key Benefits of GigE Vision Technology
- How GigE Vision Compares to Other Interfaces
- Common Applications
What Is GigE Vision?
GigE Vision is an interface standard for industrial cameras.
The specification, which was released in 2006, is based on Gigabit Ethernet technology to provide high-speed video and control data transfer over standard network cables. The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) manages the development and administration of the standard.
In short, it’s a common language that enables machines to seamlessly talk to each other. When looking for high-speed GigE cameras for industry, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the standard before purchasing one, to ensure it will fulfill all requirements for your machine vision application.
The standard was first developed by 12 founding companies and today more than 50 member companies continue to work on its enhancement.
The standard defines:
- The physical and network layers of the Ethernet connection.
- Interoperability through GenICam models
- A specific transport layer protocol based on User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
- A set of commands for camera configuration and control, and for image data acquisition.
- Auto configuration and device discovery mechanisms.
What sets GigE Vision apart?
The standard leverages GenICam to describe features supported by each camera. This allows for a generic programming interface to be defined that is applicable across all compliant cameras, regardless of manufacturer. Buy a camera from one brand today and switch to another tomorrow without having to re-write code.
Simple, right?
Why GigE Vision Cameras Matter
The GigE camera market is growing.
The global market reached USD 2.26 billion in 2024 and is forecast to reach USD 4.02 billion by 2030, expanding at 9.92% CAGR.
So why is it growing so fast?
Simply put, GigE Vision solves problems that other camera interfaces can’t (or at least struggle to). Manufacturing facilities need to image over long distances. Medical labs require consistent and reliable data transfer. Security systems require scalable multi-camera setups.
GigE Vision meets all these requirements. Let’s break it down further…
Key Benefits of GigE Vision Technology
GigE Vision is popular for a reason.
The interface and standard provide many significant benefits for machine vision applications. Here are the most important…
Long Cable Lengths
Standard GigE Vision cameras can run cable lengths of up to 100 meters using off-the-shelf Cat5e or Cat6 cables. Contrast that to the maximum of 5 meters with USB 3.0 for instance.
This means you can place cameras far away from the host computer. Production lines especially benefit from this advantage. Need longer? Fiber optic cables push the distance even further.
Facilities where cameras and equipment are spread out across wide areas simply can’t go wrong with GigE Vision.
High Bandwidth Transfer
GigE Vision allows for bandwidth of 125 MB/s (megabytes per second) for the standard gigabit connections. For higher speeds, 5GigE and 10GigE variants scale that bandwidth up to 625 MB/s and 1.1 GB/s, respectively.
In other words, large images transfer at high speeds with no bottlenecks or dropped frames. The data moves.
The GigE Vision Technical Committee is constantly working on pushing the standard further. Future implementations leveraging RoCEv2 technology will be able to stream at up to 400 Gbps and beyond.
Cost-Effective Infrastructure
Something that’s often overlooked is cost of infrastructure.
GigE Vision uses standard networking equipment. The cables, switches, and network cards you’d find in any office are sufficient and work perfectly. No proprietary hardware necessary.
This dramatically lowers the total system cost compared to alternatives such as Camera Link or CoaXPress which require specialized frame grabbers. Budgets come into play and GigE Vision wins here.
True Plug-and-Play
GigE Vision cameras work with your existing network infrastructure with no issues. Cameras auto-negotiate settings and get their own IP addresses automatically.
Setup is a breeze and only takes minutes rather than hours. The standard defines bootstrap registers which describe each device including IP address, serial number, and manufacturer information. Configuration is handled automatically.
Multi-Camera Flexibility
Need to run multiple cameras in the same system? No problem.
Connecting cameras through standard network switches enables dozens of them to operate in parallel. Each camera gets its own direct connection while sharing the same infrastructure.
Version 2.0 of the standard also introduced support for accurate synchronization of multi-camera systems. Coordinated image capture across multiple viewpoints becomes very easy to implement.
Power Over Ethernet Support
Did you know that modern GigE Vision cameras support PoE (Power over Ethernet)? In other words, both power and data can travel through a single cable.
Fewer cables means cleaner installation and reduced costs. For space-constrained applications, this simplifies the solution dramatically.
How GigE Vision Compares to Other Interfaces
It’s important to know what you’re working with when buying industrial cameras.
GigE Vision compares favorably to other common machine vision camera interfaces.
- USB 3.0: Higher bandwidth but very limited to 5 meter cables. USB 3.0 is best for single-camera desktop applications.
- Camera Link: Very high speed but requires costly frame grabbers and proprietary cables. Maximum cable length is 10 meters.
- CoaXPress: Excellent for extreme bandwidth requirements but costs significantly more per camera.
- GigE Vision: Balanced performance with long cables and low-cost infrastructure. Great for the majority of machine vision applications.
Versatility is the real beauty of GigE Vision. Average bandwidth is comfortably between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 while providing 20x the cable length of USB 3.0.
Common Applications
You can find GigE Vision cameras just about everywhere. Industries love the technology due to its versatility. It can power virtually any imaging application.
Industrial Automation
Factory automation applications deploy GigE Vision for quality inspection, process monitoring, and robotic guidance. GigE Vision’s long cable lengths make it ideal for large production facilities.
Industry 4.0 initiatives have been driving adoption as well. Smart factories need reliable high-speed imaging throughout the production line. GigE Vision delivers.
Medical Imaging
Lab automation in pharmaceutical companies is another common application for GigE Vision. Barcode reading, flow control, and specimen analysis all benefit from reliable high-speed imaging.
Cameras integrate easily with existing lab equipment. Diagnostic imaging systems also achieve high levels of consistency with the help of the standard’s reliability.
Security and Surveillance
Traffic monitoring systems and infrastructure security installations leverage GigE Vision’s multi-camera capability. Intelligent transportation systems make use of these cameras for electronic tolling and speed enforcement as well.
Long cable lengths that can run without signal degradation over long distances make outdoor installations feasible. Smart city initiatives around the world continue to drive demand.
Scientific Research
Research labs require consistent high-resolution imaging. GigE Vision provides the reliability these scientists demand. Multi-sensor cameras now provide synchronized imaging for 3D vision and depth mapping as well.
The Bottom Line
GigE Vision has become the de-facto standard interface for industrial cameras.
Long cable lengths, affordable infrastructure, and rock-solid reliable performance is a winning combination. Make no mistake, GigE Vision is the clear choice for the majority of machine vision applications.
Here’s a quick recap of the important points…
- GigE Vision uses standard ethernet cables for high-speed video transfer
- Cable lengths of up to 100 meters
- No expensive frame grabbers required
- Seamless multi-camera setups
- Rapidly growing market share
Setting up a new production line or upgrading equipment? GigE Vision has you covered.
