Teledyne e2v has expanded its Flash CMOS image sensor family with two new devices designed for high-speed machine vision, 3D laser profiling and industrial inspection.

Announced on September 8, 2026, the new Flash 1K2 and Flash 8K extend the Flash product family from 1K through 8K resolution. The new sensors target applications where manufacturers need both high image quality and extremely high frame rates.

The development is particularly relevant to industrial automation because machine vision is becoming an increasingly important sensing layer for robots, inspection systems and automated production equipment.

Flash 1K2 Reaches 3,000 Frames Per Second

The Flash 1K2 is designed around a 1K × 1K image format and can operate at up to 3,000 frames per second at full frame.

This level of speed makes the sensor suitable for applications involving rapidly moving objects or processes.

In conventional machine vision, image quality is important, but image acquisition speed can become the limiting factor when an object moves quickly through the inspection area.

If an object travels several meters per second, even a small delay between image captures can result in significant positional movement.

High frame rates allow the vision system to collect more information during a rapidly changing event.

The Flash 1K2 is therefore positioned for high-speed measurements and applications where rapid motion must be captured accurately.

Flash 8K Targets High-Resolution Inspection

The Flash 8K takes a different approach.

It provides an 8K × 1K image format and a frame rate of up to 1,800 fps.

The sensor is designed for high-end 3D laser profiling and high-speed, high-resolution inspection applications.

The combination of wide horizontal resolution and high frame rate can be valuable for systems that need to measure long objects or inspect large areas while maintaining fine spatial detail.

Potential applications include automated dimensional inspection, surface profiling, production-line quality control and 3D measurement.

The wide-format architecture can be especially useful when a machine vision system needs to capture a long inspection region without repeatedly moving a camera or scanning mechanically.

Global Shutter Technology for Moving Objects

Both new sensors use 6 µm CMOS global shutter pixels.

Global shutter technology is important for industrial machine vision because the entire image can be captured at essentially the same instant.

This differs from rolling shutter imaging, where different rows of the sensor are exposed at slightly different times.

For stationary scenes, rolling shutter can often be acceptable.

For high-speed industrial equipment, however, motion can create distortion when different portions of the image are captured at different times.

Global shutter technology helps reduce this type of motion distortion.

That makes it particularly relevant to automated inspection systems, high-speed production lines and 3D measurement applications.

High Dynamic Range for Difficult Industrial Scenes

The new Flash sensors also support HDR modes up to 100 dB.

Dynamic range becomes important when an inspection scene contains significant differences between bright and dark areas.

Industrial environments can present challenging lighting conditions.

Metallic components may generate strong reflections, while recessed areas can remain relatively dark. Laser-based 3D measurement can also create scenes with substantial intensity variation.

A high dynamic range capability can help the vision system retain useful information across a wider range of illumination levels.

This does not eliminate the need for proper lighting design, optics and calibration, but it can provide additional flexibility for machine vision engineers.

Multiple Regions of Interest Improve Processing Efficiency

Another important capability is support for multiple regions of interest, or ROI.

An ROI allows the vision system to focus processing on selected areas of an image instead of treating every pixel identically.

For industrial inspection, this can be useful when only certain portions of a component contain relevant information.

For example, a production system may need to inspect several specific features on a part.

Processing only the relevant regions can help reduce unnecessary data handling and potentially improve system efficiency.

ROI functionality can also become valuable when engineers need to balance image quality, frame rate and processing requirements.

Frame-to-Frame Programmability

The Flash family also supports frame-to-frame programmability.

This capability allows system designers to change imaging parameters between successive frames according to application requirements.

Dynamic machine vision systems can benefit from this flexibility.

A production process may require different imaging conditions at different stages of an inspection sequence.

Instead of operating the sensor with exactly the same configuration for every image, engineers can potentially adjust settings according to the current measurement task.

This creates additional possibilities for advanced inspection systems.

3D Laser Triangulation and Industrial Measurement

One of the primary application areas for the Flash sensor family is 3D laser triangulation.

In a typical laser triangulation system, a laser projects a line or pattern onto an object. A camera observes the reflected laser and determines its position from a known geometric relationship.

As the object moves, the system can reconstruct surface information and generate a three-dimensional profile.

High-speed imaging is particularly valuable because the object may be moving continuously through a production process.

The faster the sensor can acquire useful images, the greater the potential measurement throughput.

This makes the combination of high horizontal resolution and high frame rate especially relevant to automated dimensional inspection.

Applications in Automated Quality Control

Machine vision has become an important component of quality control because it can inspect products continuously without relying entirely on manual inspection.

Applications may include checking component dimensions, detecting surface defects, verifying assembly conditions and identifying missing or incorrectly positioned parts.

High-speed sensors can support these tasks when production lines operate at high throughput.

For example, a packaging line may move hundreds or thousands of units through an inspection station. The camera must acquire images quickly enough to maintain synchronization with the production process.

If the inspection system cannot keep up, it can become a bottleneck.

High-speed image sensors therefore contribute directly to the scalability of automated inspection.

Integration With Industrial Automation Systems

A machine vision sensor does not operate independently in an industrial automation environment.

The camera, image-processing system, PLC, motion controller, robot and production equipment must work together.

A typical automated inspection sequence might begin with a sensor detecting the arrival of a component.

The PLC then triggers the camera.

The camera captures the image, while the vision processor analyzes the result.

If the component passes inspection, the production process continues. If a defect is detected, the PLC may command a reject mechanism or stop the line.

For robotic applications, the vision system may instead provide position information to the robot controller.

This illustrates why machine vision should be considered part of the overall automation architecture rather than an isolated camera technology.

Common Architecture Across the Flash Family

The addition of Flash 1K2 and Flash 8K gives engineers more choices within the same sensor family.

The existing Flash portfolio also includes 2K and 4K devices.

The common architecture and development approach can help customers select a sensor based on the required balance between resolution, speed and system cost.

A lower-resolution sensor may be appropriate for extremely fast motion where image detail is less important.

A higher-resolution sensor may be preferable when the application requires detailed surface measurement.

The ability to choose different resolutions within the same family can simplify technology selection for machine vision developers working across multiple applications.

Why High-Speed Vision Matters to Smart Manufacturing

Modern factories are increasingly moving toward automated inspection and closed-loop manufacturing.

The objective is not simply to detect defects after production. Vision information can also be used to adjust processes while production is underway.

For example, dimensional measurements can be fed into control systems to identify process drift.

A robot can use vision information to correct part positioning.

A machining process can use inspection data to identify tool wear.

A high-speed image sensor can therefore become part of a feedback loop between physical production and digital control.

This is one reason machine vision is increasingly connected with industrial AI, robotics and advanced automation.

Conclusion

The introduction of Flash 1K2 and Flash 8K expands Teledyne e2v's Flash CMOS image sensor family into a broader range of high-speed industrial vision applications.

The Flash 1K2 provides up to 3,000 fps at full frame, while the Flash 8K provides up to 1,800 fps with an 8K × 1K format.

Combined with 6 µm global shutter pixels, HDR capability, multiple ROIs and frame-to-frame programmability, the new devices are designed for demanding machine vision and 3D measurement environments.

For industrial automation engineers, the development highlights a larger trend: sensing technology is becoming faster and more closely integrated with robotics, PLC control, inspection and intelligent manufacturing.

As production lines become faster and more flexible, the ability to capture reliable visual information in real time will remain an important foundation for automated quality control and advanced industrial robotics.