Xi 05M ETH Compact Industrial Autonomous Short-Wavelength Infrared Camera for Molten Metal, Steel, Ceramics

• 396 x 300 Pixel Short-Wave "MeltScope" Infrared Camera for Molten Metals  950 °C to 2450 °C (1742 °F to 4442 °F)
• Ultra-Short 500 – 540 nm Wavelength for Accurate Measurement of Molten and White-Hot Metals
• Measures Hot Steel, Iron, Copper, Brass, Tin, Carbon, Ceramics, and Semiconductors
• True Autonomous Operation - No PC Required - with Automatic Spot Finder and Direct 0/4-20 mA Analog Output
• Direct PLC Integration over EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or Modbus TCP
• Motorized Focus with 14° x 10° Optics and a 400:1 Distance-to-Spot Ratio
• Fast Line-Scan Mode up to 500 Hz for Profiling Moving Targets such as Strips and Castings
• USB 2.0, Ethernet, PoE, and RS485 Interfaces - Ethernet Extendable to 100 m
• Rugged IP67 / NEMA 4 Stainless Steel Housing - Complete Software Suite Included
  

The Xi 05M MeltScope is a compact, fixed-mount short-wavelength infrared camera built for the most demanding high-temperature task of all: measuring molten and white-hot metals. Operating at an ultra-short 500 – 540 nm wavelength, it captures radiometric thermal images at 396 x 300 pixels and measures from 950 °C up to 2450 °C (1742 °F to 4442 °F) with no need to switch sub-ranges. The very short wavelength is the key - it aligns with where hot metals radiate most strongly and most consistently, delivering accurate, repeatable readings on materials that defeat ordinary thermal cameras. Housed in a rugged, waterproof stainless steel body, it is built for permanent installation in foundries, steel mills, and metal-processing lines.

Built for Molten Metals - the Short-Wave Advantage
Bare and molten metals are the hardest targets in thermal imaging: their emissivity is low and constantly changing with temperature, oxidation, and surface motion, which wrecks the accuracy of a standard long-wave camera. The Xi 05M works at an extremely short wavelength (500 – 540 nm), where - by Planck's radiation law - hot objects emit dramatically more energy and emissivity has far less influence on the result. That makes it the right tool for the very high temperatures of molten steel, iron, copper, and brass, plus ceramics and semiconductors, with better precision, accuracy, and repeatability than any long-wave camera can offer at these temperatures. (For metals at somewhat lower temperatures, the Xi 1M, which works at 0.85 – 1.1 µm, is the companion model.)

Direct Process and PLC Integration
The Xi 05M runs autonomously - it calculates temperatures, finds hotspots automatically, and triggers alarms on its own, with no PC required once configured. A direct 0/4-20 mA analog output and an isolated input let it talk to a PLC straight out of the box, and the optional Industrial Process Interface stacks up to three modules for as many as nine analog or alarm outputs with built-in fail-safe monitoring. For higher-level networks, dedicated interface kits add EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or Modbus TCP, connecting the camera to Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and other control systems.

High-Speed Line Scanning
Beyond full-frame imaging at 20 Hz, the Xi 05M offers a dedicated line-scan mode running up to 500 Hz. This profiles the temperature across a fast-moving target - a casting, billet, or strip - line by line, using 396 x 8 pixels over Ethernet or 396 x 1 pixels in autonomous operation. It is ideal for continuous processes such as casting and hot rolling where you need a temperature profile across the width of a moving product. (In the 500 Hz mode the measurement starts at 1050 °C.)

Typical Applications
The Xi 05M suits molten-metal monitoring, steel and foundry operations, continuous casting, billet and slab reheating, hot rolling, and the processing of ceramics and semiconductors - any very high-temperature process where accurate, repeatable measurement of molten or white-hot material is critical.

Compact Industrial Design
The Xi 05M packs its electronics into a compact stainless steel body measuring Ø 36 mm x 112-127 mm (depending on lens) with an M30 x 1 thread, weighing 270 g. It is rated IP67 / NEMA 4 against dust and water and tested to IEC 60068 standards for shock and vibration, so it holds up to washdown, debris, and machinery vibration. For the hottest installations, a water-cooled housing extends operation to ambient temperatures up to 250 °C, while laminar air purges, outdoor housings, shutters, and mounting brackets round out the system.

Motorized Focus and Optics
The camera uses a 14° x 10° lens (25 mm focal length) with a 400:1 distance-to-spot ratio, resolving a smallest measurable spot of about 0.8 mm and focusing from a minimum distance of 300 mm. The motorized focus is set entirely in software, so the image can be optimized remotely without physical access to the camera - useful for installations behind guarding or at height. The optics are integral to the camera and cannot be changed later. (Optris' online camera calculator makes it easy to verify the spot size and IFOV at your working distance.)

Industrial Connectivity
The Xi 05M supports USB 2.0, Ethernet, PoE, and RS485. The camera streams full frames at 20 Hz over Ethernet (and sub-frames over USB), with the autonomous and line-scan modes for direct machine integration. Ethernet and RS485 runs can be extended up to 100 m, with PoE supplying power and data over a single cable for clean, long-distance installations. The camera also runs on an 8 – 30 V DC supply. The Ethernet / PoE cable is included in the standard scope of supply. Note that the camera uses a static IP address and does not support DHCP, and that the direct analog output and input are not available while the RS485 interface is in use.

Software
Every camera ships with the license-free PIX Connect software - a full thermal-imaging platform for setup, analysis, and recording, with advanced functions such as line scanning, image merging, event capture, and area-based temperature evaluation. Developer kits (SDKs) are available for integrators building custom applications, and a free IRmobile app allows mobile viewing over USB. The camera runs autonomously once set up, but PIX Connect is needed for the initial configuration and focus adjustment.

Scope of Supply / What comes with your order
Infrared camera Xi 05M · Ethernet / PoE cable (1 m) · USB cable (1 m) · output/input cable (1 m) incl. terminal block · mounting bracket with nut · PIX Connect software package · quick start guide

SPECIFICATIONS

Resolution: 396 x 300 pixels
Detector: CMOS (15 µm pitch)
Spectral Range: 500 – 540 nm (short-wave)
Optical Filter: No
Frame Rate: 20 Hz full frame (Ethernet) / 20 Hz sub-frame (USB, autonomous) / line scan up to 500 Hz
Optics (FOV): 14° x 10° (f = 25 mm)
F-Number: 2.8
Focus: Motorized focus
Interchangeable Optics: No
Optical Resolution (D:S): 400:1
Minimum Distance to Target: 300 mm

Temperature Range: 950 – 2450 °C (1742 – 4442 °F) at 20 Hz; 1050 – 2450 °C at 500 Hz line scan
Accuracy: ±1 % of reading (below 2000 °C); ±2 % of reading (above 2000 °C)
Thermal Sensitivity (NETD): < 2.5 K (below 1800 °C); < 4.5 K (above 1800 °C)
Smallest Detectable Spot (IFOV): 0.19 mm
Smallest Measurable Spot (MFOV, 4 x 4 pixels): 0.8 mm
Emissivity / Transmissivity: adjustable 0.100 … 1.100
Warm-Up Time: 10 min

PC Interface: USB 2.0 / Ethernet (100 Mbit/s) / PoE / RS485
Supported Protocols: USB, Ethernet (static IP), RS485, serial; optional EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP
Compatible Software: PIX Connect, EasyComm, Connect SDK, EasyAPI, Direct SDK
Direct Output / Input: 1x analog output (0/4-20 mA) / 1x input (analog or digital); optically isolated (not available while using RS485)
Industrial Process Interface (PIF): 3x analog outputs (0/4–20 mA or 0–10 V) and 3x alarm outputs (relays) / 3x inputs (analog or digital) / fail-safe (LED and relay); stackable up to 3 PIFs; optically isolated
Image Processing: Hot-metal and molten-metal measurement, autonomous evaluation of areas of interest, line scanner, event grabber, merger, alarming, comparison functions (via PIX Connect)
Cable Length: Ethernet / RS485: 1 m (standard), 5 m, 10 m, 20 m (extendable up to 100 m); USB: 1 m (standard), 3 m, 5 m
Power Supply: 8-30 V DC / PoE / USB
Power Consumption: max. 2.5 W

Enclosure Size: Ø 36 mm x 112-127 mm (M30 x 1 thread)
Housing Material: Stainless steel
Weight: 270 g (without mounting bracket)
Tripod Mount: 1/4-20 UNC
Protection Class: IP67 / NEMA 4
Operating Temperature: 0 °C ... 50 °C
Storage Temperature: -40 °C ... 70 °C
Relative Humidity: 10 ... 95 %, non-condensing
Shock: IEC 60068-2-27 (25 G and 50 G)
Vibration: IEC 60068-2-6 (sinusoidal), IEC 60068-2-64 (broadband noise)
EMC: 2014/30/EU
Standards: CE, UKCA, RoHS
Part Number: OPTXI05MO14T245
Country of Origin: Germany