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High-precision optical lenses purpose-built for dimensional inspection, profile measurement, and inline gauging of critical automotive components.
The global automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation driven by electrification, lightweighting, and autonomous driving — all of which demand unprecedented dimensional precision in parts production.
The global machine vision market, with automotive gauging as a primary driver, is projected to surpass $18 billion by 2028. Telecentric lenses represent the fastest-growing optical segment within industrial vision systems, with double-digit annual growth rates fueled by EV production ramp-ups and stricter OEM quality mandates.
Electric vehicles introduce new gauging challenges: battery cell alignment, hairpin winding inspection, and power module dimensional control all require telecentric imaging with micron-level accuracy. Major EV manufacturers now mandate 100% inline optical gauging for safety-critical components, creating massive demand for advanced telecentric lens systems.
Industry 4.0 and AI-driven quality control platforms are accelerating the adoption of telecentric vision systems. Real-time measurement data from telecentric cameras feeds directly into MES and SPC systems, enabling predictive quality control and zero-defect manufacturing targets across global automotive supply chains.
Conventional lenses introduce perspective distortion and magnification errors that make them fundamentally unsuitable for dimensional metrology. Telecentric lenses eliminate these issues at the optical design level.
Object-side telecentric lenses collect only parallel chief rays, ensuring that the measured image size remains constant regardless of the part's distance variation within the depth of field. This is critical for gauging stamped metal parts, castings, and machined components where surface height variation is unavoidable on a production line.
Automotive tolerances for transmission gears, bearing races, and fuel injector nozzles are typically in the ±2–10 μm range. Telecentric lenses, combined with high-resolution sensors, routinely achieve measurement uncertainties below 1 μm — matching or exceeding contact CMM performance at a fraction of the cycle time.
Bi-telecentric lenses are telecentric on both the object and image sides, providing the highest level of measurement stability. They are indispensable for applications such as fuel injector hole gauging, precision shaft diameter measurement, and any scenario where the image sensor position may vary slightly due to vibration or thermal effects on the production line.
Telecentric lenses work in concert with coaxial or parallel telecentric illumination systems to produce sharp, high-contrast silhouette images of parts. This illumination-optics synergy is essential for reliable edge detection algorithms and is a key reason why telecentric vision systems outperform standard machine vision setups in automotive gauging environments.
Unlike tactile gauging, telecentric optical systems measure multiple dimensions simultaneously in a single image capture — diameter, roundness, straightness, and positional tolerances in one shot. This enables 100% inspection at production line speeds exceeding 200 parts per minute, eliminating sampling-based quality control and its inherent escape risk.
Automotive production environments involve coolant mist, vibration, temperature swings, and metallic dust. Canrill telecentric lenses are engineered with sealed, thermally stable mechanical housings and anti-reflection coatings that maintain measurement integrity in these demanding conditions, providing years of reliable operation without recalibration.
From powertrain components to body-in-white assemblies, telecentric optical gauging is now embedded across the entire automotive manufacturing value chain.
Telecentric lenses measure gear tooth profile, pitch diameter, and shaft runout with micron precision. The constant magnification property ensures that gear height variation does not introduce measurement error, enabling 100% inline sorting of out-of-tolerance gears before assembly.
Injector nozzle hole diameter and roundness directly impact fuel atomization and engine efficiency. Bi-telecentric lens systems achieve ±1 μm measurement accuracy on nozzle orifices as small as 100 μm, supporting both diesel and GDI petrol injector quality control at production rates.
Pouch cell thickness, prismatic cell tab alignment, and cylindrical cell diameter uniformity are all measured using telecentric vision systems. Large-format telecentric lenses supporting 8K sensors can inspect entire battery modules in a single field of view, dramatically reducing gauging station footprint in EV gigafactories.
Wheel bearing inner and outer race dimensions, ball groove profile, and cage window geometry require sub-micron gauging. Telecentric lenses with long working distances allow measurement of assembled bearing units without disassembly, enabling non-destructive 100% end-of-line verification.
Automotive fasteners — bolts, studs, and nuts — must meet precise thread pitch, major diameter, and head height specifications. Telecentric imaging systems replace go/no-go gauges with flexible vision-based measurement, capable of detecting thread damage, burrs, and dimensional deviations simultaneously.
Hole position, edge straightness, and flange angle on stamped body panels are measured using large field-of-view telecentric systems. Long working distance telecentric lenses (150–300 mm WD) allow gauging of deep-drawn parts and complex bracket geometries without mechanical interference with the part or fixture.
Traditional coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) are accurate but slow — typically measuring 5–10 parts per minute in a dedicated offline environment. Telecentric vision gauging systems achieve equivalent accuracy at 50–500 parts per minute, inline, without operator intervention. For high-volume automotive production, this represents a fundamental shift from statistical quality control to deterministic zero-defect manufacturing.
The convergence of AI, high-resolution sensors, and advanced optical engineering is redefining what is possible in automotive parts measurement.
The transition from 1" to 1.1" and beyond to large-format sensors (Type 4/3 and larger) is driving demand for telecentric lenses with larger image circles and higher resolving power. Canrill's large-format telecentric lenses for 8K sensors allow automotive manufacturers to inspect larger component areas in a single shot, reducing system complexity and improving throughput in body shop and powertrain applications.
Deep learning algorithms are being integrated with telecentric imaging to move beyond simple edge-detection measurement into defect classification, surface anomaly detection, and predictive quality analytics. The optical accuracy of telecentric lenses provides the high-quality training data that AI models require, making telecentric optics the foundation of next-generation smart gauging systems in automotive plants.
The latest generation of telecentric parallel illumination systems achieves significantly higher luminous efficiency and more uniform illumination uniformity than previous generations. Canrill's fourth-generation telecentric illumination, designed to work in perfect optical harmony with their telecentric lenses, delivers brighter, more stable measurement images — enabling faster shutter speeds and reducing motion blur in high-speed automotive production lines.
As automotive manufacturers deploy more collaborative robots and automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for part handling, telecentric lenses with extended working distances (150–300 mm) are increasingly required. These long WD telecentric lenses allow vision systems to be mounted safely away from moving parts and robot arms while maintaining full measurement accuracy — a critical enabler for flexible, reconfigurable automotive assembly lines.
Emerging multi-axis telecentric configurations, combining multiple telecentric cameras with structured light or laser triangulation, are enabling full 3D dimensional measurement of complex automotive castings and additive-manufactured components. This trend is particularly relevant for EV motor housings, heat exchangers, and topology-optimized structural brackets where traditional 2D gauging is insufficient.
Our objective is to produce a top-level lens and become one of the leaders in telecentric technology. From manufacturing to creation, we are on the way.
Canrill Optics, established in 2009, is the first company in China to focus on the manufacturing & marketing of telecentric lenses and telecentric lens design. We are the only company to build a complete supply chain with our own mechanical factory and optical factory in the industrial lens sector worldwide.
Over the years, as a custom lens manufacturer, Canrill lenses have been upgraded through four generations with advanced technology and performance, earning the trust of worldwide clients. We have successfully partnered with world-famous brands including Samsung, Apple, LG, Huawei, Han's Laser, TSMC, and many leading automotive Tier 1 suppliers.
Our complete in-house supply chain — from raw optical glass grinding and coating to precision mechanical assembly and final optical testing — gives Canrill unmatched control over quality, lead times, and custom specification development for automotive gauging applications.
Since founding Canrill in 2009, Simon has been focused on building the world's leading manufacturer of telecentric lenses. Under Simon's leadership, Canrill has grown into a 100+ person company renowned in both China and internationally, with deep expertise in automotive optical gauging solutions.
Senior optical designer with 10+ years of experience in the design and inspection of telecentric lenses and illumination systems. Leads the development of Canrill's next-generation telecentric optics for automotive and semiconductor gauging applications.
15+ years of experience in precision mechanical design for optical systems. Oversees the design and production of telecentric lens housings, ensuring thermal stability, vibration resistance, and long-term dimensional integrity for demanding automotive production environments.
Canrill Optics maintains rigorous quality management and environmental compliance standards, ensuring every telecentric lens delivered meets international automotive supplier requirements.
Canrill ISO 9001
Lens Cone RoHS Certificate 1
Lens Cone RoHS Certificate 2
Lens Cone RoHS Certificate 3
Lens Cone RoHS Certificate
Explore our full range of telecentric lenses — from compact bi-telecentric designs for small sensor cameras to large-format, long working distance solutions for complex automotive assembly inspection.
