MeasurementBlog

Not very much, I am sorry to report

The replacements for Opticals are very capable devices. Some are just as accurate, if not more so. Plus they are a heck of a lot easier to learn and to use. Even more they have all the newest technologies from detectors to digital outputs.

Today Opticals are but a fond memory in the minds of some who used them extensively. Progress rests on technology and today’s high-temperature portable noncontact temperature sensors are nothing short of amazing. Some even have Bluetooth wireless capability!

When the Minolta-Land Cyclops 52 first came on the market in the early 1980s, Optical Pyrometers, especially those made by Leeds & Northrup Company (L&N) were the most popular and widely respected, high temperature thermal radiation measurement devices in the world. (L&N evaporated as an organization a few years later). I was in the middle of it, working for Land at the time and saw the dramatic changes at the very beginning.

The Cyclops was succeeded by several more advanced models and now the latest models are made by Land alone. Minolta sold the manufacturing rights to them as a result of a re-organization within Minolta Camera Company.

Back then, even a cursory comparison of the respective Manufacturer’s Specifications for the two devices revealed a startling fact: the makers of them claimed about equal temperature measurement uncertainty under laboratory conditions for the two devices.

If one added in the extra signal handling capability of the Cyclops, it was clear that a real revolution was underway in the market.

For your information here’s the current specification of the Land Cyclops 100:
(Note: The Cyclops 100/100B replaces the following models: Cyclops 52, Cyclops 152, Cyclops 152A, TR-630 and TR-630A)

Specification
Temperature range: 550 to 3000°C/1022 to 5432°F
Indication: 4 digit LCD in viewfinder, external backlit LCD display
Measuring Modes: Continuous, Average, Peak and Valley
Datalogging: To iPAQ or laptop/PC running DL-1000v2 software. Wired or wireless Bluetooth connection (C100B only)
Optical System: 9° field of view with 1/3° (180:1 to 98% energy) measurement area. Eyepiece adjustable -3.75 to +2.5 diopters
Focusing range: 1m/39.3in to infinity
450 to 620mm/17.7 to 24.5in - with optional close-up lenses
215mm/8.5in fixed focus - with optional close-up lenses
Target size: 4.8mm at 1m//0.19in at /39.3in
1.8mm/0.07in - with optional close-up lenses
0.4mm/0.016in - with optional close-up lenses
Spectral response: 1µm with advance spectral filtering
Emissivity adjustment: 0.10 to 1.20 in 0.01 step graduations
Response time: 30ms
Display update time: 0.5s
Accuracy: <0.25%(K) of reading
Repeatability: <0.1%(K) of reading
Operating temp. range 0 to 50°C/32 to 122°F
Power requirement: One MN1604/6LR61/PP3 battery
Output: RS232, Bluetooth (C100B only)
Weight: 0.83kg/1.8lb
Sealing: IP54/NEMA3
Standard accessories: Lens cap, protection window/filter, battery, wrist strap
Optional accessories: Close-up lenses, Datalogger DL-1000, HP iPAQ, rugged waterproof carry case

September 9, 2007

Ray Peacock

TEMPERATURES.COM, INC. publishes information about measurement devices and measurement on its websites. The sites have articles, directories and news to foster competent measurements & analysis in industry & science. Sites are free. Submissions by visitors are encouraged and reviewed. Sites as of August 2007 are: lehos tecHeadlines, measureNEWS, About Temperature Sensors, TempSensor Directories, TempSensorNEWS, Measurement Databases, (MeasurementBlog.com)MeasurementMedia.com and MeasurementDevices.com