Free Project
Eval
Eval
MACHINE VISION TECHNOLOGIES
MACHINE VISION TECHNOLOGIES
MACHINE VISION TECHNOLOGIES
Machine vision is not quite an "off-the-shelf" or "end-user technology" In order for machine vision to be successful, it requires competent integration within
the target process or system. This is sometimes simple, but often more difficult that it would seem. Successful systems integration requires comprehensive technological expertise
in a wide range of engineering, optical science and computer science.
Understanding and proper application of the optical and lighting techniques used in machine vision can make or break the success of a project. Although a person can take a 1 day workshop on machine vision lighting, it is the years of experience of applying these techniques and image analysis tricks that make Machine Vision a very specialized field in engineering.
Examples of machine vision lighting techniques: SME MVA Lighting and Optics Guide
Currently machine vision technology can be classified into 5 different solutions; Smart Sensor, Smart Camera, PC-Based, Line Scan, 3D.
Understanding and proper application of the optical and lighting techniques used in machine vision can make or break the success of a project. Although a person can take a 1 day workshop on machine vision lighting, it is the years of experience of applying these techniques and image analysis tricks that make Machine Vision a very specialized field in engineering.
Examples of machine vision lighting techniques: SME MVA Lighting and Optics Guide
Currently machine vision technology can be classified into 5 different solutions; Smart Sensor, Smart Camera, PC-Based, Line Scan, 3D.
Smart Sensors:
Affordable sensor with an imaging chip designed to replace photoelectric sensors for more reliable inspection and part detection. Abilities are limited to edge, intensity and contrast detection/triggering.
- Advantages:
- Cheap
- Disadvantages:
- Very limited toolset.
Smart Cameras:
Rugged all-in-in system that has an embedded operating system, vision software and imaging sensor. Although not as flexible as a PC-based system, Smart Cameras can perform a large number of the tasks that a PC system is capable of.
- Advantages:
- Often maintainable by production maintenance staff. For single or dual camera systems, cheaper then PC system.
- Disadvantages:
- Flexibility to inspect multiple products on the same smart camera is often difficult. Limited User Interface
PC-Based:
An interface card (Firewire, Ethernet, Cameralink, etc) connects the PC with the camera. All the vision tool processing occurs on CPU. Results are posted via an interface card either with a physical I/O or protocol like RSLinx, Profibus, etc.
- Advantages:
- Faster than a smart camera. High end pattern, color and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools available. Highly customizable User Interface.
- Disadvantages:
- Software development creates a longer lead time to system installation. Environmental controlled enclosure often required.
Line Scan:
A PC-based system capable of acquiring images from continuous or cylindrical surfaces. Unlike area scan cameras, which generate frames and have longer exposure times in order to capture the entire field of view, line scan image acquisition is made pixel line by pixel line. Often used in manufacturing of steel, aluminum, rubber, paper, plastics, textiles, etc.
- Advantages:
- Very high resolution images possible.
- Disadvantages:
- Specialized knowledge and equipment required to implement such technology.
3D Vision:
A PC-based system that utilizes 2 or more cameras or 1 camera with a laser line. Used in robotic guidance systems and gauging applications that are not possible with a single fixed camera.
Our Machine Vision Solutions:
We integrate the following machine vision Smart Cameras and PC Toolkits:- Cognex VisionPro info
- Cognex Insight info
- IPD - iNspect info
- IPD - Sherlock info
- Acuity
- DVT
- Xcaliper