Introduction To Machine Vision
Introduction To Machine Vision
Since it allows manufactured parts and products to be inspected, measured, and sorted,
machine vision has vastly increased the power and flexibility of industrial automation.
Machine vision does all this at high speeds and high accuracy, improving product quality
and reducing waste.
Machine vision also lets automated equipment locate objects, identify them, and save
information about their material, condition, orientation, and other details for later analysis.
That data is critical to factories looking for efficiency gains.
And every package that makes its way through today’s automated logistics
warehouses does so with the help of barcodes that are read by machine vision. Those
codes are used to track and identify packages throughout their journeys, making sure
they get to their intended destinations.
Line-scan cameras are used in continuous inspection Most machine vision uses 2D cameras, also called area 3D vision systems add depth to their images, sometimes
applications such as web manufacturing. They take a scan systems. These can be simple, single-purpose using lasers to measure distances and compute depth.
wide but very thin image, typically as material moves sensors or more full-featured systems. Sensors are The addition of depth can increase complexity and cost
past the scan area, and use software to reconstruct the lower cost, smaller, easier to deploy, and often more to some degree, but that additional information is critical
image line by line. rugged than cameras with a wider range of features. to some applications.
Generally, full-featured systems are more configurable,
They are significantly faster in these applications than perform more complicated tasks, and can take larger For example, 3D vision is essential in guiding a robot
standard 2D cameras. Examples include inspecting and higher resolution images. arm to precisely reach out to grab an object in the
fabric, paper, and other soft goods. correct orientation, no matter where it is in space. 3D
The decision between sensors and more complex vision is also used to automate difficult cutting and
machine vision systems comes down to the task being welding processes.
performed, the format of the data output, cost, and ease
of use.
▪ Measuring/gauging
▪ Locating/guiding/positioning Hair
▪ Barcode reading
Looking for loose connectors, poorly Detecting flawed photovoltaic cells in solar Finding contaminants or other problems in
▪ OCR/OCV
soldered wires, bad seams, or improperly panels or defects in semiconductor wafers food products
crimped tubes or EV battery assemblies
EXAMPLES:
Confirming the presence of all electronic Verifying the presence of components Counting products in a package or on a
components on a printed circuit board such as clips, screws, springs, labels, pallet
seals, manuals, inserts, or accessories
EXAMPLES: EXAMPLES:
Capturing the dimensions of cast and Measuring the roundness and angle of tips Locating parts on a conveyor for inspection Guiding robots on automated automotive
injection molded parts on parts assembly lines
Determining label positions or package sizes Assembling microchips that require micron-
level precision
EXAMPLES: EXAMPLES:
Tracking packages as they travel through a Ensuring the correct components are Classifying a part based on the characters Checking if a sell-by date or lot number is
logistics warehouse assembled printed on it (OCR) printed correctly (OCV)
Providing accurate traceability of medical Distinguishing authentic from counterfeit Establishing traceability to meet regulatory
supplies products (OCR) demands (OCR)
AI-powered
the bottle is filled to at least this level, let it pass.” The
rules are programmed by vision engineers with deep
knowledge of the best way to get the desired output.
machine vision The rules are used to create programs that tackle specific
jobs, such as detecting the edge between light and dark
areas or measuring the distance between two points.
There are two ways machine vision can be used Rule-based systems
These rules can then be used one after another on an
to make decisions such as counting, classifying,
or approving and rejecting items. Rule-based
image, in what is called “tool chaining,” to perform a wide work on consistent parts
range of sophisticated tasks. They’re also very good at
systems follow user-programmed, step-by-
high-speed, high-accuracy inspections on products or Technical expertise: Vision expert with
step instructions to interpret images and make
parts that are predictable and consistent. programming knowledge
decisions. In contrast, artificial intelligence or
AI-powered systems use a database of reference
images to “learn” how to make decisions.
This training mimics how humans learn, helping the system learn how to make accurate
decisions without being thrown off by irrelevant variation.
Operators train deep learning systems with hundreds of labeled images, such as a
variety of possible defects in a manufactured part, or several different assemblies that
need to be classified.
One significant improvement over rule-based systems is that deep learning systems
learn to distinguish between a wide range of real defects and merely cosmetic variations
without needing to be shown every possible result — something time-consuming or even
impossible to accomplish using rule-based programming.
Use case training: hundreds of example images Results: complex applications with significant variation
The advantages of edge learning lie in its speed, low demand on computing
resources, and flexibility, as well as its user-friendliness.
Edge learning is designed for
ease of use
Example images required: 5-10
Total time: Minutes
Technical expertise: No prior experience needed
Pre-loaded training and optimization Use case training: 5-10 examples Results: easy, fast
Cover
Protects the system from dust, water,
oil, and other environmental hazards
There’s no single answer to “which sensor should I use?” Sensors should be chosen based on their specific
purpose, whether for a fast-moving assembly line, where a high frame rate might be essential, or detecting tiny details in
a complex product, where resolution and dynamic range might be more important.
But this can be time-consuming if Covers are rated by how well they protect the camera, with IP67 being the
done frequently, or if there are a large usual rating for a dustproof camera in an industrial environment. An IP67 rating
number of cameras that need to be also means the enclosure is waterproof, so the operating area can be washed
adjusted. In these situations, autofocus down safely.
lenses are optimal.
Autofocus lenses adjust their focus automatically as needed, saving time if frequent
changes are expected.
Liquid lenses are a specialized subset of autofocus lenses that adjust their shape on the
fly to maintain sharp focus. They’re also smaller and more resistant to shock and vibration
Hardware
than mechanical autofocus lenses of similar spec.
requirements
Another factor in choosing the
type of processing is the required
hardware. Because of the amount
Liquid Lens Liquid Lens
of parallel processing it requires,
deep learning generally needs
to run sophisticated parallel
processors called GPUs. Edge learning requires less processing, and rules-
based algorithms the least.
Good lighting for machine vision maximizes contrast on the features of interest
and minimizes it everywhere else. It also needs to be consistent; the lighting
setup should make sure normal variations in parts or their arrangement don’t
affect the contrast in the image.
Depending on the part’s texture (such as matte, reflective, or refractive) and its
shape, different lighting choices will change which portions of the image will be
brighter than others. Poorly chosen lighting might create glare, when light reflects
off a smooth part directly into the camera. A different position might occlude an
important spot or leave it in a shadow.
Some cameras come with integrated lights, which provide uniform illumination
that’s important when working with matte objects, among other uses. They’re
easy to deploy and work well in many situations.
Other conditions can require a separate lighting setup, which can involve
experimentation with different lighting angles and types to get the most effective
image. There’s no one best lighting setup for all machine vision applications.
Instead, lighting optimization depends on the application, specific requirements,
and the desired results.
Color analysis
Where object color is an
important feature, there
are several color tools,
including color extraction
and segmentation, and
color matching.
To do this, machine vision systems use standard industrial formats or protocols to share data with other devices, usually via wired connections. That data can then be used in many ways:
It can tell a nearby programmable logic controller (PLC) to fire a piston to bump It can be used with the factory’s process control system or a manufacturing
defective parts off the line. execution system (MES), so the system can make adjustments to optimize the
manufacturing process.
It can pop up on a human-machine interface (HMI) display so an operator can check It can trigger sorting mechanisms in an automated sortation system to get a package on
up on a production process and make adjustments. to the right truck.
Analyzing large data sets with an enterprise resource Reviewing failure rates and types to pin down where
planning (ERP) system to make long-term operational productions errors are being introduced.
decisions.
Companies around the world rely on Cognex vision and barcode reading
solutions to optimize quality, drive down costs, and control traceability.
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