CoaXPress was once seen by system designers and integrators as just a promising option. It promised advantages like high speed, long cable runs, and flexibility—without the hefty cost often associated with adopting entirely new standards. However, its adoption remained slow because transitioning to something completely novel can be daunting for existing systems.

Fast forward today, and CoaXPress has matured significantly. New frame grabbers and cameras supporting this standard are now widely available, helping build trust and understanding among engineers. The technology is becoming essential as metrology and inspection systems aim for higher resolutions—often doubling their pixel count in the next generation to achieve massive throughput gains.

Many engineers are planning a move from 2 or 4 Megapixels to 12, even up to 25 Megapixels. In applications requiring precise measurements across multiple scan positions, higher resolution at the same speed can dramatically improve overall system performance—even compared to doubling the speed with the same resolution.

This shift is driving engineers away from Camera Link because CoaXPress supports speeds that exceed its bandwidth limitations. For instance, a 25-megapixel camera only reaches about 30 fps over Camera Link but can achieve up to 80 fps using CoaXPress technology. Furthermore, Region of Interest (ROI) features allow users to select specific resolutions—like capturing at 16 megapixels with speeds exceeding 100 fps.

Efficiency and Power Consumption

CoaXPress doesn’t just offer faster data transfer; it also delivers improved power efficiency compared to Camera Link—even when running at twice the frame rate. Early camera designs were known for their high energy consumption, but newer models equipped with advanced FPGA processors can operate a 25-megapixel sensor at full speed while consuming only 8W and without requiring any cooling fans.

However, not all CoaXPress cameras are created equal: ultra-high-resolution devices still carry higher power demands—up to 28W in some cases. It’s always best practice to review specific product specifications before implementation.

This doesn’t mean Camera Link is obsolete—it remains relevant for many applications, especially those where extreme frame rates aren’t necessary and data volume stays manageable. The trend across machine vision, however, seems clear: CoaXPress adoption continues to rise alongside demands for higher resolution.

Beyond machine vision, CoaXPress has emerged as a key enabler in global security technology advancements. For further details on these applications, visit the linked resource below.

Last Updated: 2025-09-04 20:42:51