Dianyang Technology (DYT) CA-09B PCB Thermal Analyzer - Mini review - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:21:32 pm
content: First a little bit of history a it is relevant to this review.The CA-10 PCB Thermal AnalyzerSome time ago I wrote a review on the Dianyang Technology (DYT) CA-10 PCB Thermal Analyzer.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/review-dianyang-technology-ca10-circuit-board-thermal-analyzer-repair-rd/Thread about using a thermal imaging camera for PCB analysis:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/use-of-a-thermal-camera-for-pcba-thermal-profiling-and-repair/The CA-10 bench-top thermal camera system impressed me with the quality of the images that it produced with its 256 x 192 pixel 25fps Infiray S0 imaging core. The Version 1 Spectrum Owl software that DYT had written for the CA-10 is very much focussed on PCB inspection applications and provides the tools needed for PCB profiling and analysis. A "side by side" comparison mode permits thermal comparison between either a live "known good" PCB or the saved image of such a reference PCB. Such a feature can be very useful to those working on mobile phones. DYT then released a Professional version of the Spectrum Owl software called Version 2. This version of the software is intended for use with the higher end PCB Thermal Analyzer products offered by DYT and offers more features for R&D applications. It could be said that Version 1 is intended for Repair shops, whilst Version 2 is for Research and Development environments. V2 of Spectrum Owl will only operate with the Pro PCB thermal analyzer hardware and this does not include the CA-10.Since the CA-10 was released, DYT have continued to design and produce PCB Thermal Analyzers of various resolutions and prices. It would be fair to say that a high proportion of the PCB Thermal Analyzers that you see on AliExpress come out of DYT and are sold under many different brand names. The build quality on these DYT products is excellent and they like to use a lot of metal in their designs.The CA-09B PCB Thermal AnalyzerI recently saw an "anonymous brand" PCB Thermal Analyzer on eBay that used the same stand as my CA-10. It is a very easily recognised stand design. Attached to the stand was a different camera head to that of the CA-10. It is a small rectangular box with a power button on the top and a small thermal camera lens peering out of the bottom side. The stand and camera head are of all metal construction in a grey paint colour scheme. I immediately recognise this unit as a product of DYT so it caught my interest. I identified the kit as the CA-09B and a quick look at its specifications told me that this PCB Thermal Analyzer uses the Infiray Tiny1-C imaging core as opposed to the larger S0 found in the CA-10. The CA-09B is sold at a lower cost than the CA-10 so could be considered a "budget version". The CA-10 offers manual focus of the lens whereas the CA-09B uses a fixed focus lens with the option of adding an official 30mm focus distance close-up lens. Without the close-up lens the CA-09B is set to image targets in the range 10 to 15 cm which is good for PCB work. The CA-10 does not focus on distant targets so may not be used as a general purpose thermal camera, unlike that of the manual focus CA-10.The CA-09B that I had stumbled upon was at a truly excellent price and described as "Used". I bought the unit and was impressed to discover that, whilst its box was a little battered, I could see no evidence of the unit have ever been assembled or used. It was "as new". Whilst I already now that the Infiray Tiny1-C is a capable miniature thermal imaging core, I am interested in how it performs in its CA-09B PCB Thermal Analyzer role. As I have stated in other posts, these "Thermal Dongle" type cameras rely heavily on the host and the application software for their best performance. The CA-09B may be connected to a mobile phone or a PC/Laptop so I do not see that side of things being a problem. The software provided with the CA-09B is basically the same as the Version 1 Spectrum Owl package that came with my CA-10 so I know that the software is not going to disappoint. The only significant difference between the CA-10 and the CA-09B is the manual focus S0 core Vs the fixed focus Tiny1-C core. It will be interesting to see how the Tiny1-C performs compared to its "bigger brother", the S0. I have ordered the optional 30mm close-up lens from China. It cost £28 including postage and taxes from Aliexpress. Not a bad price for a nicely made close-up lens that uses a bayonet mount to attach the to the camera head. The close up lens is now in the UK so should be with me soon for testing.Manual Focus Vs Fixed focus in a PCB Thermal AnalyzerWe should address the matter of Manual Focus Vs Fixed Focus in a PCB thermal analysis environment. Manual focus enables a user to obtain the best possible sharpness in an image whereas the user of a fixed focus lens has to work within the lens systems depth of focus limits and it can be a compromise solution. In general use applications, fixed focus can be seen as a benefit by some users as they do not have to keep adjusting the focus to suit the targets distance from them. Fixed focus thermal imaging lens systems often offer acceptable image sharpness from around 0.5m to Infinity. PCB Thermal Analysis is easily undertaken with a manual focus system that can often focus to as little as 10mm from the target. A fixed focus general use camera struggles with PCB Thermal Analysis as the image does not remain in focus at a close enough distance to image small components. The solution to this situation is the use of a simple, inexpensive ZnSe, IR Glass or Germanium lens element that sits in front of the cameras built-in lens. This supplemental lens provides close-up imaging in various distances, depending upon the lens chosen. In the case of the CA-09B, the lens was selected to provide a 30mm working distance from the PCB and this provides almost thermal microscope imaging capabilities. The depth of field is very shallow however. Given a choice, I would prefer the manual close focus capabilities of the CA-10 over the fixed focus of the CA-09B, but the price difference between the two kits is significant.The camera standThe stand that is provided with the CA-10 and CA-09B is worthy of note. The stand is of excellent build quality using mostly metal parts and a lovely fine finish in quality grey metallic paint. The flat work area is made of thick aluminium and covered with a thick rubber mat. The vertical section has an adjustable height assembly that may be quickly adjusted to the approximate working distance from the target, and then fine adjusted using the worm drive section of the assembly. Whilst the CA-10 is less in need of a fine height adjustment due to its manual focus lens, the CA-09B benefits from the ability to finely adjust the working distance, especially when using the 30mm close up lens. The stand appears to be an expensive component on these systems BoM and I am not surprised to see that the stand has been simplified somewhat on the CA-09D model. I consider the stand on the CA-10 and CA-09B to be excellent quality. That said, both the CA-10 and CA-09B camera heads may be attached to other mounting systems and articulated arms using the standard 1/4" 25tpi tripod thread incorporated in the head arm.The PC softwareThe PC software supplied with the CA-09B is called "Thermal Analysis System" but it is basically DYT Spectrum OWL version 1. The software offers all the features that might be useful to those repairing a PCB and needing to assess where the heat is coming from on a PCB. This technique can prove invaluable in cases where a shorted component is present on a supply rail and saves a lot of time tracking down that potentially tiny component. PCB Thermal Analysis may also be used to determine which sections of a PCB are active and which are inactive using the thermal signatures of various components. The CA-09B software permits a user to make "side by side" comparisons between PCB's to see differences in their heat signatures that could lead to determination of a fault cause. I refer readers to my CA-10 review for more comment on this software rather than repeating myself here. I can say that DYT put a lot of effort into creating a genuinely useful software package for the technician needing to thermally profile a PCB, for whatever reason. Note that the software package does require Windows 10 or later and does not appear to run properly on my Windows 7 laptop. That said, I managed to run the software via execution of the CA-09B executable directly rather than through the provided program shell.The CA-09B Vs CA-09D modelsI note that the CA-09B is quite hard to find and only the CA-09D is now shown on the DYT web site. The CA-09D appears to use the same thermal camera head as the CA-09B but it is mounted on a simpler stand. Gone is the expensive height adjustment assembly as the CA-09D has a simple screw to set the cameras height above the target. A mounting plate for a mobile phone has been added above the camera head to resemble the many digital optical microscopes that we see with a small LCD display above the imaging head. The end result is a simple design that serves its intended market without the "bells and whistles" of the CA-10/CA-09B stand. It is worthy of note that the software supplied with the CA-09B also makes mention of the CA-09D and you even have to select between the two when starting the software shell. In the programs file list there are separate folders for the CA-09B and CA-09D. I have yet to discover why this would be necessary but the CA-09D could potentially be using a different imaging core in the camera head. The CA-09D software configuration does not work with the CA-09B camera so something is different. The software contains drivers for both the Tiny1-B and Tiny1-C imaging cores.So on with the real world testing of the CA-09B......I decided to use two test subjects whilst testing the CA-09B.1. Amazon Fire Stick Mk12. Raspbery Pi Type BThese PCB's offer a realistic challenge to the CA-09B PCB Analyzer as they contain component sizes typical of those found in modern electronics. The Amazon Fire Stick is an interesting test subject as it is known to run hot and my testing of such with the CA-10 revealed interesting thermal images from its chipset behaviour.A focus range test was carried out to determine the acceptable focus range of the fixed focus lens system employed in the CA-09B. Temperature measurement accuracy was tested using a Blackbody reference source.SpecificationsModel: CA-09BMaterial: Aluminum AlloyInfrared Resolution: 256 * 192 pixelRefresh Rate: 25HzFOV: 56° x 42°Measurement Distance: 100mm-150mm standard / 30mm with Close-up lens fittedInterface: USB Type-CInput Voltage: DC 5VStorage Format of the Pictures: JPGStorage Format of the Video: MP4Measurement Range: -20℃~150℃ / -4℉~302℉Storage Temperature: -20℃~60℃Working Temperature: 0℃~50℃Maximum Humidity: 95% relative humidity

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:23:56 pm
content: Pictures of the DYT CA-10 system that used the same mounting system but a different, manual focus imaging head.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:28:58 pm
content: The DYT CA-09D PCB camera system that uses a simplified table mount.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:30:58 pm
content: The DYT CA-09B/D OEM supplemental close-up lens that mounts on the camera head.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:33:51 pm
content: The testing phase pictures begin here:First a test of temperature measurement accuracy. The CA-09B performed well in this test. The Black Body was set and stabilised at 40 Celsius.The last image is from testing the CA-09B with the OEM close-up lens fitted and positioned 30mm from the Black Body emission plate.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:38:31 pm
content: The Amazon Fire TV stickThe file names indicate when the Close-up (CU) lens is fitted.The images with a combination of monochrome and colour highlights are from enabling the “Rapid” mode that is designed to highlight the hottest areas of a PCB.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:46:01 pm
content: Raspberry PiThe file names provide the distance from the standard camera lens to the PCBA thermal 3D image of the PCB is also included

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 09:56:12 pm
content: The Rpi PCBThis set of images show the Rpi PCB being analyzed at 300mm, then 25mm with the OEM Close-up lens. Then there are images showing the "Rapid" hot spot detection mode that highlights area of highest temperature, rather than just a spot temperature cross. These images are monochrome with colour used to show higher temperature areas. It is stated that this mode assists in detecting short circuits, such as created by failed (shorted or low resistance) MLC capacitors. Finally there is a pair of images taken at 7.5cm distance with the standard lens to show the RPi PCB in normal colour pallette mode and then in "Rapid" hot spot detection mode

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 10:03:35 pm
content: The resolution and focus test on the fixed focus camera head.The file names provide the distance at which the image was captured. The OEM specification for acceptable focus with the standard lens is 100mm - 150mm.The CA-09B imaging core has its focus adjusted by the OEM for close-focus duties rather than the usual “general use” hyperfocal point that provides acceptable focus from 30cm to infinity. As such the CA-09B camera cannot be used to observe distant targets that a general purpose camera could as it cannot provide infinity focus.The Grille uses slots that are 2.0mm in width and the Grille circle diameter is 63mm. The lower Grille width is 60mm.To assist those not familiar with IFOV in understanding the images that follow showing a grille test chart I am adding more comment here.When considering the capabilities of a thermal imaging system Instantaneous Field of View is one of the specifications of interest. IFOV is basically an angle figure that helps the user understand the size of an area on a target that illuminates just one pixel on the microbolometer. The size of the area on the target illuminating only one pixel increases with distance.The IFOV for the CA-09B camera with its 56 Degree HFOV lens and 256 Horizontal 12um Pixels is 3.81792 mRadAt 10cm the pixel size on target is: 0.38mmAt 15cm the pixel size on target is: 0.57mmAt 20cm the pixel size on target is: 0.76mmAt 30cm the pixel size on target is: 1.14mmThe Grille has slots in it that are 2.0mm in width. As such the IFOV related "pixel on target" size calculations suggest that at around 15cm distance between the thermal emitter grille and the camera, 3 pixels will see the width of the slot. For detailed imagery, it is desirable to have as many pixels covering the area of interest as possible. More powerful lenses are used to make this happen or the distance to target needs to be reduced. For temperature measurements, its is advisable to ensure that at least 4 pixels (2x2) are illuminated by the area of interest and many thermographers would recommend a minimum of 9 pixels (3x3) for measurements. If only one pixel is seeing the area of interest, it is all too easy for camera noise reduction processes and noise to mask that pixels signature and accurate measurements can be challenging. The user would have to ensure that the pixel is being fully illuminated, just as with single pixel IR thermometers. A single pixel may also suffer from not being in perfect optical alignment with the area of interest, leading to two or more adjacent pixels sharing the thermal energy and causing measurement errors.In the Grille test we see that the CA-09B performs well and as expected. The grille aperture continues to be imaged well at 30cm. I found nothing to suggest that the CA-09B is not providing its full 256 x 192 pixel resolution and its optics, though quite wide angle, are operating correctly.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 10:14:13 pm
content: The "Hot Wire" test.This test uses a heated nichrome wire of 0.5mm diameter as the target. The test shows any "stair step" pattern in the displayed image as the hot wire passes diagonally across the FPA pixels view. The test was used here to check the focus range of the CA-09B camera optics. An extensive set of measurements were taken to profile the behaviour of the CA-09B system when imaging a diagonal thin wire target.The OEM stars that the fixed focus lens covers 100m to 150mm.The distance from the wire to the camera lens is shown in the file names. Note that a "-" is used in place of a "." in the distance figures.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 10:17:33 pm
content: Continued....

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 10:19:14 pm
content: Continued.....

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 10:22:53 pm
content: The "hot wire" test with the OEM close-up lens fitted.Distances (mm) are shown in the file name. The OEM Close-up lens has a stated focus distance of 30mm and has a shallow depth of field.As can be seen from the images, 30mm is the best focus distance between the Close-up lens and the target.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 10:58:01 pm
content: ConclusionThe DYT CA-09B PCB Thermal Analyzer meets the claims of the manufacturer and does perform well in my tests. The PC software is not unique to the CA-09B and has been well proven on the CA-10 system. That said, I did have some criticisms of the system in terms of my user experience, when compared to the CA-10 that I have been using for some time now.1. The complex desk stand is not the easiest to use because of its top mounted height fine adjustment knob. On the CA-10 it works OK as the height is roughly set with the stands coarse height adjustment lock. The camera head is then manually focussed for best image sharpness. With the CA-09B, especially when using the OEM Close-up lens, the stands height adjustment mechanism is far more important to achieve best focus from the camera. I found the fine adjustment anything but ergonomic and a conventional microscope “rack and pinion” height adjustment assembly with side knobs would have worked much better. I note that the CA-09D desk mount is a far simpler design and does not include any fine adjustment of height. This is from one extreme to the other as some fine adjustment mechanism is needed when using the close-up lens.2. The lack of manual focus adjustment of the lens on the camera head became an annoyance. The fixed focus lens made the CA-09B less pleasant to use compared to the manual focus equipped CA-10 system. When the OEM Close-up lens is fitted, the fine adjustment on the desk stand is needed to carefully set the distance between the PCB and lens to 30mm for best focus. This is not really a problem but if you move a PCB under the camera head and the distance between PCB and lens changes, more adjustment of the awkward fine height adjustment control will be needed. If I were to use the CA-09B a lot, I have no doubt that I would move the imaging head to a conventional microscope height adjustment assembly and stand.The OEM close-up lens is a thing of beauty in terms of its build and I am pleased that I bought it.It is my opinion that a close-up lens is a very useful addition to the CA-09B, whether it is the OEM product or a custom close-up lens created by the user with a common ZnSe lens element.I bought the CA-09B at a very good price and I have no regrets about that purchase. Do consider PCB Thermal Analyzers that have a manual focus lens though.Fraser

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2025, 11:03:37 pm
content: I have just purchased a used 256x192 pixel Qianli Fire Eye Pro PCB analyzer that is in competition with the CA-09B and D models.The Fire Eye Pro uses a relatively simple desk stand similar to the CA-09D but the key difference is that the camera head is a USB-C mobile phone dongle with a MANUAL FOCUS lensThis provides the user with both a general use mobile phone thermal camera and a fixed mount PCB thermal analyser for PCB repair work.I have posted about the Qianli Fire Eye Pro here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/thermal-imaging/qianli-fire-eye-pro-pcb-thermal-analyzer-for-the-repair-workbench/It will be tested once I have cleared my backlog of other work.Fraser