Optically Clear Acrylic Breadboard

Specifications
Material	Optically Clear Acrylic
Finish	Polished, Clear
Thickness	0.5" (12.7 mm)
Flatness	±0.0029" (±0.075 mm) over 1 ft2
Hole Size and Spacing	1/4"-20 Tapped Holes on 0.5" Centers
Number of Mounting Holes	416
Center Window	2.72" x 2.72" (69.2 mm x 69.2 mm)
Distance from Edge to First Hole	1.0" (25.4 mm) on All Sides
Transmission (Click for Plot)
Operating Temperature	-40 °C to 110 °C
Recommended Screw Tightening Torque	5 N•m (44.2 in-lb)
Maximum Screw Tightening Torquea	12 N•m (106.2 in-lb)

• Force at which visible damage could start to be seen on the threading of the breadboard.

Click to Enlarge
The front plate of a Polaris^® mirror mount is secured on the
CMMP1212V within a vision system to verify its dimensions. Cap screws were used to secure and create stops for the parts being inspected. 
See the Application Idea tab for details.

Features

• 12" x 12" (304.8 mm x 304.8 mm) Optically Clear Acrylic Breadboard
• On-Axis Alphanumeric Labels Indicate Mounting Hole Locations
• 1/4"-20 Tapped Holes on 0.50" (12.7 mm) Centers
• Central Window for Unobstructed Viewing of Parts
• Heat Treated and Polished to Maintain Clarity and Resist Cracking
• Ideal for Vision Systems and Metrology

Thorlabs' CMMP1212V Breadboard is crafted from polished, optically clear acrylic and is ideal for applications that require parts to be backlit and fixed in place at specific reference positions, such as vision metrology. Each breadboard contains a pattern of 1/4"-20 tapped through holes, spaced 0.5" (12.7 mm) apart, that is offset by 1.0" (25.4 mm) from the edges of the board. This allows for an increased number of mounting options for components when compared to breadboards that have a standard 1" or 25.0 mm hole pattern or a double-density 0.5" or 12.5 mm hole pattern. Within the 1.0" wide region on each side are on-axis alphanumeric labels for identifying specific rows, columns, or mounting holes.

A 2.72" x 2.72" (69.2 mm x 69.2 mm) center-located window is included for components or smaller parts that need to be viewed without obstructions such as mounting holes. Constructed from acrylic, the breadboard has high transmission in the visible and near-IR regions of the spectrum as shown in the graph within the Specifications table to the right.

Each acrylic breadboard is heat treated and polished to provide the highest quality breadboard possible. Heat treating the acrylic and letting it cool in a controlled environment removes the internal stresses that develop during the casting process, creating a more stable, crack-resistant breadboard that has a longer lifetime. This in addition to a high-quality polish ensures that the board will remain optically clear and resist yellowing for a longer period of time.

We also offer a broad selection of solid aluminum breadboards as well as steel and aluminum honeycomb breadboards. For a quick comparison of our different breadboard options, please see the BB Selection Guide tab.

Click to Enlarge
A CMMP1212V Being Used within an Optek Vision Metrology System

Vision/Video Metrology

The CMMP1212V Tapped Breadboard is the ideal solution for securely holding parts for inspection with vision metrology systems. Vision, or video, systems provide rapid, non-contact 3-axis coordinate measurement of a part under inspection. Using a tapped breadboard with one of these systems allows for defined reference points to be set up before placement into the system, which shortens the amount of time between runs, allows for multiple parts to be checked at once, and allows for parts to be secured in place via fixtures.

Click to Enlarge
The front plate of a Polaris^® mirror mount is secured on the CMMP1212V within a vision system to verify its dimensions. Cap screws were used to secure and create stops for the parts being inspected.

Since vision systems implement both front and backlighting methods for illuminating parts, it is important that the mounting surface is able to transmit a large amount of light. Constructed from optically clear acrylic and finished with a clear polish, the CMMP1212V provides high transmission in the visible and near-IR regions of the spectrum. This means that edges and through holes of an item under inspection can be clearly visualized and measured when backlighting is used.

At 0.5" (12.7 mm) thick, parts mounted on or above the surface of the breadboard will not interfere with the imaging camera. The 12" x 12" (304.8 mm x 304.8 mm) size is compact and will fit within most vision systems, while providing enough space to mount multiple components.

An array of 1/4"-20 tapped mounting holes allows for the addition of fixtures to secure multiple items in place, while the alphanumeric labels around the edges help to create reference points when inspecting multiple items. An included 2.72" x 2.72" (69.2 mm x 69.2 mm) window is ideal for smaller parts that cannot be visualized when mounted over obstructions such as mounting holes.

An example of the CMMP1212V being used within a vision system is shown above. In this setup, multiple parts are mounted on the breadboard for inspection. The part being inspected in the photo is the front plate of a Polaris mirror mount. The front plate was mounted over the central viewing window so that the smaller through holes could be examined and measured before production.