Product Description
The KR SightLink E3040 Super Knuckle 23 cm (9 in) adds a camera, light, sensor, or monitor to an extrusion machine cell you already have - without rebuilding the frame. It secures with T-nuts to 20x20, 30x30, or 40x40 extrusion (for example, a 50 cm inspection cell built from 30x30 profile), gives you a fast knuckle arm to position the device, and ends in a standard ¼"-20 screw.
The Super Knuckle is a double ball-and-socket arm - a ball joint at each end held by a single central knob. Loosen that one knob and both joints swing free for fast pan-and-tilt positioning; tighten it and the whole arm locks at once. At 23 cm (9 in) it's the longest in the family - the most reach for getting around a sample or covering a wider area. Longer reach means more leverage, so it carries less than the shorter arms and is best with lighter payloads.
This is the flexible-arm route - a positioning and tuning tool for integrators, not a production mount. Use it to find and prove the right camera and light positions; once the layout is locked, switch to the SightLink rosette-tooth / square-coupler version for a fixed, repeatable production mount.
Why SightLink
When the machine cell already exists, you don't want to rebuild it to add a camera - and a one-off bracket locks you into one position before you've proven it. SightLink lets you mount onto the existing extrusion, tune the camera and light while the inspection is still being dialed in, and reconfigure by moving the arm instead of remaking a bracket.
This is a setup and positioning tool, not the production mount. An integrator uses it to get a camera and light onto a customer's cell quickly, find the right positions, and prove the inspection. A factory machine-vision team uses it the same way - to dial in the geometry on the cell. Once those positions are locked, the rosette/square-coupler version provides the fixed, repeatable mount a production line needs.
How It Mounts
This kit is the middle link of the chain - it connects your existing 20x20 / 30x30 / 40x40 extrusion cell to your device's ¼"-20 thread, base and arm included:
¼"-20 is the common camera/accessory thread. "Male" means this kit provides the screw; your device or adapter plate needs the matching female thread. If the image must stay level and can't twist on a single screw, add a locating pin or anti-rotation plate.
Super Knuckle or Omni?
Choose Super Knuckle when you want fast, freehand positioning - one knob frees both ball joints to glide to any angle, then locks them together, and it has the widest range of accessories. Choose Omni when you want more reach, higher load, or a repeatable angle you can return to exactly - that's what its rosette lock is for. They hold differently: Super Knuckle for quick, free movement, Omni for a locked, repeatable angle.
Reach and Load
This Super Knuckle reaches 23 cm (9 in) and carries up to 2 kg / 4.4 lb close to the clamp - the longest reach, so keep payloads light, derating toward the tip. It is friction-held with a single knob - fast and freehand, but with no indexed angle return, so re-aim by eye after a bump; it is a positioning tool, not a production mount.
- Reach: 23 cm (9 in) nominal.
- Close-in working load: up to 2 kg / 4.4 lb.
- Best for: lighter cameras, lights, sensors, and accessories that need extra reach.
Start with the shortest arm that reaches the target. The shorter Super Knuckle is cheaper, carries more load, and holds steadier - so choose 23 cm (9 in) only when you genuinely need the reach, and plan for a lighter payload. The 2 kg figure is a close-in reference for the arm; at this length, leverage, sag, vibration, and cable pull all reduce what it will hold steady. Secure the cable to the frame before judging stability.
Best Applications
SightLink E3040 Super Knuckle 23 cm (9 in) is at its best for longer-reach freehand camera and light positioning on an extrusion cell you already have - where getting a lighter device around or over a sample matters more than a locked, repeatable angle.
- Longer-reach camera or light placement on an existing 20x20 / 30x30 / 40x40 extrusion cell.
- Getting a device around or over a sample where a short arm can't reach.
- Retrofitting vision onto a machine frame without rebuilding it.
- Integrator demos that show vision working on the customer's own frame.
- Cable-managed setups with lighter payloads.
What's in the Kit
The kit ships as three parts - the extrusion base, the 23 cm (9 in) Super Knuckle arm, and the ¼"-20 male device screw - and nothing device-specific.
- SightLink E3040 extrusion base (T-nut mount) for 20x20 / 30x30 / 40x40 profile.
- Super Knuckle 23 cm (9 in) arm.
- ¼"-20 male device screw.
Not included unless bundled: the extrusion frame or machine cell; the camera, lens, light, sensor, monitor, or controller; a camera-specific adapter plate; machine guarding; and cable strain-relief hardware.
Before You Order
Before ordering, confirm four things: your extrusion size (20x20 / 30x30 / 40x40), a ¼"-20 female device thread, payload and cable pull suited to a 23 cm (9 in) reach, and a reviewed path if the setup is vibration-prone or production-bound.
- Confirm the extrusion is 20x20, 30x30, or 40x40 with a slot/face the E3040 base can land on, and enough clearance for the base, arm sweep, device body, connector, and cable bend radius.
- Your device needs a ¼"-20 female thread, or an adapter plate that gives it one.
- Check that payload weight, center of gravity, and cable pull suit the 23 cm (9 in) reach - plan for a lighter payload at this length.
- This flexible-arm kit is for positioning and testing, not production. For a released production mount, use the SightLink rosette-tooth / square-coupler version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this fit my extrusion cell?
It fits 20x20, 30x30, and 40x40 extrusion with a compatible mounting face, secured with T-nuts. Before ordering, check slot access, nearby guards, arm sweep, camera-body clearance, connector clearance, and cable bend radius.
What else do I need for my camera?
The kit ends at a ¼"-20 male screw. Your camera (or an adapter plate) needs a matching ¼"-20 female thread. If the image must stay level, add a locating pin or anti-rotation plate.
Super Knuckle or Omni for a camera?
Super Knuckle is faster and freer to adjust - great for trials and frequent repositioning. The Omni's rosettes lock to an exact, repeatable angle, so it's the pick when a camera must stay at one precise angle. Reposition often → Super Knuckle; set an exact angle and return to it → Omni.
Should I pick 8, 15, or 23 cm?
Start at 8 cm (3 in) - it's the cheapest, strongest, and steadiest. Use 15 cm (6 in) for a balanced reach, and 23 cm (9 in) only when you need the extra reach and can accept a lighter payload.
Can I use it on a production line?
No - the flexible arm is for positioning and testing, so you can find and prove the right setup. For a production mount, use the SightLink rosette-tooth / square-coupler version, which connects rigidly for a fixed, repeatable angle.
When should I choose another path?
For a tabletop lab platform, use VisionGrid with VisionReach. For a larger freestanding post frame, use VisionFrame 35. If you need KUPO to provide the inspection cell itself, use VisionCell.
