Visual Systems Design Dec 2007
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Headquaters: The Imaging Source Europe GmbH
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Phone: +49 421 33591-0
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Phone: +1 704-370-0110
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6F C-3, No. 58, Jhouzih Street, Taipei City 114, Taiwan
Phone: +886 2-2797-8508
www.theimagingsource.com
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0712VSD_2 20712VSD_2 2 11/29/07 10:49:07 AM11/29/07 10:49:07 AM
VisionSystemsD E S I G N®
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7
A PENNWELL PUBLICATION
VOL. 12 NO. 12Vision and Automation Solutions forEngineers and Integrators Worldwide
Features
On the Web www.vision-systems.com
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 3
Depar tmen t s Columns
Business Views
Interview with
John Nagle,
Nagle Research
Pg. 9
13 Technology Trends
IMAGE PROCESSING • System speeds package production
BIOMETRICS • Vision systems tackle fi ngerprint analysis
LABEL TRACKING • RFID and vision team for pharmaceutical packaging
QUALITY CONTROL • Machine vision checks bottle-cap seals
QUALITY CONTROL • Vendors benefi t from document-validation systems
6 Letter to the Editor
9 Business Views
47 Vision+AutomationProducts
55 Ad Index/Sales Offi ces
• Complete Archives• Industry News• Buyers Guide• Webcasts• White Papers• Feedback Forum• Free e-newsletter• Video Library
25 Industrial Automation Products: Developing vision-guided robotic work-cells Robot, smart cameras, lighting, and PC teamed in auto-racking application. • Valerie Bolhouse
35 Profi le in Industry Solutions: OCV supports FDA-compliant packaging line Multiple machine-vision stations inspect and verify pharmaceutical-vial packaging system. • Winn Hardin
39 Product Focus: Sensors tackle machine-vision applications Vision sensors are closing the gap between traditional photoelectric sensors and more complex image-processing systems. • Andrew Wilson
5 Inside VisionSigned, sealed, delivered
56 My ViewBlue rinse group
Cover S tor yPackaging device integrates packaging, barcoding, and labeling systems. (See p. 13; photo courtesy SuperUser Solutions)
See pg. 39
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InsideVision
5w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7
Signed, sealed, delivered
Trade shows can be dangerous places. Th ey can overwhelm a visitor with sensory
input as vendors compete for attention with fl ashy booths, pulsing music, and at-
tractions such as food and drink. Shows in the machine-vision industry have been
notable for their lack of these marketing lures, but times are changing. VISION
2007, held in Stuttgart this past November, certainly opened new realms for the industry,
with its expanded fl oor space that now encompasses two vast halls of the New Stuttgart
Trade Fair Centre. Th e show drew 280 exhibitors, up 30% from last year, and more than
6000 visitors, a 13% increase. Th e show had lots of fl ash and, fortunately, most of the sub-
stance that a major show should have, delivering many innovative new products. To show
how new technologies and products could be used in machine-vision applications, many
companies displayed systems using these products. Our coverage of the technical develop-
ments, new products, and applications at the show will appear in our January issue.
Meanwhile, the topic of packaging dominates our coverage in this issue. Pack Expo—
held in Las Vegas, NV, in October—drew 1200 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors. Although
the diff erence in scale was stark between the two trade shows, the importance of machine
vision to the packaging industry is apparent.
VALIDATING VISIONOur cover story by editor Andy Wilson describing an automatic labeling and verifi ca-
tion system from SuperUser Solutions is the fi rst in a series of articles on machine vision
in packaging. Subsequent articles on pharmaceutical packaging show how RFID and
vision can be teamed to track drugs and inspect the documents that accompany many
drug packages. A feature article by contributing editor Winn Hardin describes a multi-
camera and barcode-reader inspection line from Systech International that helps manu-
facturers meet US FDA requirements. For another perspective, visit our Web site to view
a recent webcast by David Dechow of Aptúra Machine Vision Solutions describing how
machine-vision systems are being used for container and packaging inspection.
One of the tools that has been driving the acceptance of machine vision in packaging
systems is the vision sensor—a relatively low-cost device that uses embedded software. Our
Product Focus by editor Andy Wilson reviews the growing number of these products and
how they are being integrated into a new generation of production equipment.
How to integrate machine vision into a more sophisticated application such as a robot
workcell is the topic of an article by Valerie Bolhouse, formerly at Ford Motor Company.
She relates the details of how an auto-racking system was developed for an automotive-
parts stamping plant. And, fi nally, system-integrator John Nagle, in our Business Views
interview, provides insight into how an end user or OEM should evaluate the prospect
of working with system integrators to develop complex 2- or 3-D vision systems.
Trade shows may be the place where these products and systems are put on display, but the
factory fl oor, minus the fanfare, remains one place where machine vision proves its value.
Kathy Bush: PublisherTel.: (603) 891-9434; e-mail: [email protected]
W. Conard Holton: Editor in ChiefTel.: (603) 891-9161; e-mail: [email protected]
Andrew Wilson: Editor Tel.: (603) 891-9115; e-mail: [email protected]
Bonnie Heines: Managing EditorTel.: (603) 891-9143; e-mail: [email protected]
Winn Hardin: Contributing Editore-mail: [email protected]
David Lieberman: Contributing Editore-mail: [email protected]
Adrienne Adler: Director of MarketingSuzanne Heiser: Art DirectorDan Rodd: Senior IllustratorMari Rodriguez: Production DirectorJames Kirkland: Ad Services ManagerDebbie Bouley: Circulation Manager
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Ben Dawson,DALSA IPD; David Dechow, Aptura; Christian Demant, NeuroCheck GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany; Prof. Dr. B. Höffl inger, Institute for Microelectronics Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany; Toshi Hori, GEViCAM; Henrik Ilsby, Copenhagen, Denmark; Joseph A. Sgro, Alacron; William Silver, Cognex Corp.; Wilhelm Stemmer; Stemmer Imaging GmbH, Puchheim, Germany; Nello Zuech, Vision Systems International
EDITORIAL OFFICES: Vision Systems Design, 98 Spit Brook Road, Nashua, NH 03062-5737; Tel: (603) 891-0123; FAX: (603) 891-9297; http://www.vision-systems.com
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W. Conard HoltonEditor in [email protected]
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Letters
6 D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m
We Want to Hear From YouSend your letters to Conard Holton,
Editor in Chief, Vision Systems Design,
98 Spit Brook Road,Nashua, NH 03062 USA;
David Stork’s article in the October issue
of Vision Systems Design (p. 69) is notable
for failing to mention that the artist Da-
vid Hockney and I have published a half-
dozen papers and one book on this subject
since 2000. Our work is widely acknowl-
edged as having established the power
of an artist’s visual skills for making
discoveries in art history, and the com-
puter techniques we developed could
signifi cantly aid the analysis of imag-
es in paintings. As a result, this has
now developed into a fi eld in its own
right, with the scientists who Stork did
mention subsequently applying their
own computer techniques to analyze
aspects of paintings.
Unfortunately, some of the work
in this fi eld has been misguided. As
has been known for more than a half-
century, results from a computer are
no better than the input data and
underlying assumptions. An article
written at the request of the editor
(IEEE MultiMedia 14 (2), 8 (2007))
details the false conclusions in three pa-
pers written by David Stork, all due to
errors in his data and assumptions, and
references in that article detail the fl awed
conclusions in a number of his other pa-
pers on this topic.
Since the mind and hand of the artist are
intimately involved in the creation process,
even when portions of a particular painting
are based on optical projections, these im-
ages are much more complex to analyze than
are photographs. However, as our results of
the past eight years show, a fundamental-
ly new approach to image analysis can be
developed when an optical scientist works
closely with a highly skilled artist.
Charles M. FalcoChair of Condensed Matter Physics
and Professor of Optical Sciences
University of Arizona
Power of vision in art
Co
mp
ute
r an
alys
is b
y K
imo
Joh
nso
n an
d D
avid
G. S
tork
; ©20
07 M
use
um
Ass
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ates
/LA
CM
A.
0712VSD_6 60712VSD_6 6 11/29/07 10:42:57 AM11/29/07 10:42:57 AM
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w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 7
Th in-fi lm physicist Charles Falco fi nds it
notable that I did not cite his work (none
of which has passed rigorous peer review)
but my piece1 was to promote the fi rst
International Symposium on Computer
Image Analysis in Art,2 so I focused on
research by scholars who will present there
(see Vision Systems Design, Oct. 2007, p.
69). If I had been writing a historical over-
view, I would have cited many research-
ers who possess a scientist’s rigor and an
artist’s vision, such as Richard Taylor—
a professor of physics and painter with
a master’s degree in art, who pioneered
fractal image analysis of Jackson Pollock’s
paintings a half-decade before Hockney
published his speculations. Surprisingly,
Falco feels his work with Hockney “es-
tablished the power of an artist’s visual
skills for making discoveries in art histo-
ry,” but everyone who has studied art his-
tory knows this rich tradition goes back
to artist Giorgio Vasari’s Lives of the Art-ists (1568) and earlier.
I am unaware, too, who “widely ac-
knowledges” the Hockney/Falco “discover-
ies,” given the fact that the unanimous con-
sensus in a four-day symposium and every
appropriate scholarly publication—by one
curator, seven historians of art and optics,
seven scientists and counting—rejects their
highly promoted claim that artists as early
as 1420 secretly traced optical projections.
Moreover, rigorously peer-reviewed papers
in the relevant disciplines (computer vision
and pattern recognition) have pointed out
technical fl aws in Hockney’s and Falco’s
unpeer-reviewed methods.3
Falco touts his collaboration with Hock-
ney, but their methodology is fraught with
problems. If two artists have diff erent vi-
sions that fi t the evidence in a painting
equally well (as has happened numer-
ous times), which one is right? Science
can never appeal to fame or authority, of
course. Unless Falco fi gures out an objec-
tive way to prove to scientists that Hock-
ney’s beliefs are correct in such cases, then
Falco’s “results”—even if expressed in rig-
orous math—will be mere interpretation
or speculation, not science.
Upset about the conclusion from sev-
eral scholars rebutting his theory, Falco
has complained to editors of at least 10
journals and conferences and the host in-
stitutions of at least three such scholars.
Falco suggests here and many places that
in publishing his rebuttal the editors of
IEEE MultiMedia had found errors in the
papers of at least three scholars, but he is
wrong. Sethuraman Panchanathan, its ed-
itor in chief, sets the record straight: “It is
not accurate to suggest IEEE MultiMedia
was doing anything more than facilitating
a healthy exchange of ideas.” Indeed, the
editors invited me and a coauthor to pub-
lish a rebuttal to Falco’s claims.4 To the
best of my knowledge, not a single such
editor or scholar has agreed with any of
Falco’s protestations; moreover, every ex-
pert who has reviewed Falco’s claims and
these scholars’ counter-arguments fi nds
his protestations without foundation.
Open debate, peer review, expert con-
sensus, and the rejection of statements that
appeal to authority have been—and will
always be—the proper scientifi c method
for determining truth.
David G. StorkChief Scientist, Ricoh Innovations
Visiting Scholar, Stanford University
1. D. G. Stork, “Imaging technology en-
hances the study of art,” Vision Systems Design 12(10):69 (2007).
2. D. G. Stork and J. Coddington, eds.,
“Computer image analysis in the study
of art,” SPIE Press (2008).
3. For example, A. Criminisi and D. G.
Stork, “Did the great masters use opti-
cal projections while painting? Perspec-
tive comparison of paintings and pho-
tographs of Renaissance chandeliers,” J.
Kittler, M. Petrou, and M. S. Nixon,
eds., Proc. 17th Intl Conference on Pat-tern Recognition IV, 645 (2004).
4. D. G. Stork and M. Duarte, “Revisit-
ing computer image analysis and art,”
IEEE MultiMedia 14(3):108 (cf., www.
diatrope.com/stork/FAQs.html; July-
September 2007).
Computer image analysis in the study of artTh e author replies
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w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 9
Business Views
VSD: What sort of systems or services does Nagle Research provide? Nagle: We have decided to devote ourselves
almost exclusively to 3-D machine-vision
development, allowing us to build an ex-
pertise and body of experience with 3-D
technology that is second to none in the
industry. Nagle Research is a SICK (Min-
neapolis, MN, USA; www.sick.com) vision
integrator. We are entirely brand loyal to
SICK|IVP vision products, most often us-
ing the Ranger series of cameras.
My business partner Andy Th yssen, also a
software engineer, and I started the compa-
ny in June 2003. Our fi rst project and what
is generally regarded as our “claim to fame”
is the Aurora automated high-speed railroad
track-inspection system. We have each spent
more than a decade making video games for
Nintendo, Playstation, and others. Th at ex-
perience has been immeasurably valuable in
keeping the performance of our
systems on the leading edge.
VSD: What should be asked when consider-ing the services of a system integrator?Nagle: It is impossible to engineer a solu-
tion without a thorough understanding of
the problem. But to truly know the prob-
lem, you have to get past the superfi cial
goals and get to the meat of the challenges
that a solution will have to face. Th ere can
be many gremlins hiding below the surface
of what seems like an “easy” project.
For example, a candy factory needs a vision
system that can count jellybeans moving down
a conveyor belt. Th at’s the superfi cial goal. Ob-
viously this is a very straightforward task for a
vision system to accomplish. To be able to intel-
ligently plan a solution, however, requires much
more information. What should the system
do with the count? Does it need to trigger a
signal when a certain count is reached? Does
it need to communicate with a PLC? What if
a jellybean is malformed, does it count? And
how does the system deter-
mine what is a “good” jelly-
bean? How fast are the jelly-
beans moving? Do we need
to count the individual colors?
What are the space consider-
ations for the vision system?
Th is is very “goal-orient-
ed” fact-fi nding research,
and so this sort of question-
and-answer probing can be
done even by nontechnical
people. Once all of the major and minor
goals are known, then it is straightforward
to isolate the specifi c disciplines and skill
sets required to make the project a suc-
cess.
VSD: So what can be done in-house by a company?Nagle: Evaluating one’s own capabilities or
the capabilities of company staff members
is the next step in deciding how much, if
any, of the project can be done in-house. If
the project can be accomplished with off -
the-shelf vision solutions or relatively sim-
ple smart cameras and only minor external
connectivity is required, then the chances
of being able to do this are good. If compli-
cated record keeping, PLC connectivity, or
advanced image-processing algorithms are
required, it is almost certain that a third-par-
ty vision-system integrator with software-de-
velopment capability will be necessary.
Diff erent skills are required to integrate vi-
sion systems of varying degrees of complex-
ity. Even a good list of necessary skills can-
not be comprehensive and should be treated
only as a guideline or rule of thumb (see
table on p. 10).
VSD: What are the implications of working with a 2-D vs. 3-D system?Nagle: Most people who have experience
with vision are likely to have worked only
with 2-D systems. Two-dimensional sys-
tems deal with color and contrast; three-
dimensional systems deal with materials
and geometry. Th e share a lot of the same
concepts, but, in general, 3-D is more dif-
fi cult to implement. Th is is because now
we are not just dealing with a light and a
camera, we have to deal with laser light fre-
quency; beam spread angle and thickness;
laser power requirements based on material
properties and stand-off distance; ranging
algorithms; angular orientation of cam-
era/subject/laser to obtain required accu-
racy; safety issues related to working with
the laser; and coping with less than ideal
material properties.
Integrating a SICK IVC-3D or a Ruler
product can mitigate some of these issues,
in that the camera lens, laser type, and ori-
entation are fi xed at the factory (which also
limits to some degree their applicability.)
Ranging algorithms and material proper-
ties must still be dealt with in any case.
Working with a machine-vision-system integrator
A discussion with John Nagle,
Nagle Research
JOHN NAGLE is president and CEO of Nagle Research, Cedar Park, TX, USA; www.nagleresearch.com. He is a professional software engineer with more than 20 years experience developing real-time, high-performance systems, including more than four years of high-speed 3-D machine-vision development. Editor in chief Conard Holton spoke to him about how to evaluate the need to hire a system integrator to implement a machine-vision solution.
0712VSD_9 90712VSD_9 9 11/29/07 10:50:49 AM11/29/07 10:50:49 AM
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BusinessViews
VSD: Is a vision software-development kit diffi cult to learn?Nagle: In any nonsmart camera system, the
integrator must have a thorough knowledge
of the vision hardware software develop-
ment kit (SDK), including the SDK for
the frame grabber, if applicable. Th ese are
highly nontrivial software toolkits and a
deep-rooted foundation in C++ and soft-
ware development is essential. Even with
the requisite C++ experience, the SDK
itself—like any complex system—has a
learning curve.
VSD: What are the benefi ts of third-party integration?Nagle: Any competent vision integrator
should be able to integrate vision in sim-
ple to moderately complex projects. Many
vision integrators do not have great depth in
software and electrical engineering, and so
the more complicated vision projects are be-
yond them. When choosing an integrator,
it becomes important to match the skills
they bring to the table with the skills that
will be required. Dealing with an integra-
tor can save an enormous amount of time
and development eff ort. In many cases, ex-
perienced integrators have saved companies
from spending hundreds of thousands of
dollars on inappropriate equipment and
software.
For example, we were asked by a railroad-
equipment manufacturer to provide consul-
VISION SKILL SET / COMPLEXITY RELATIONSHIPBasic understanding of lenses Smart-camera systems
with only basic externalconnectivity
Basic understanding of lighting for vision
Ability to fl owchart and use a PC
Working knowledge of Visual Basic Simple 2-D/3-D systemswith limited external
connectivityProfessional-grade VB profi ciency (integrating ActiveX, writing algorithms, and so forth)
Pro-level Profi ciency with C++ (clean, effi cient code, performance-tuned)
More complex 2-D/3-Dsystems—higher speeds,
more connectivity’multiple cameras, and
high-speed imageprocessing
Pro-level understanding of the vision hardware (operating modes, speeds, and so forth)
Pro-level understanding of communication protocols (UDP/TCP, RS232, and so forth)
Ability to generate logic-level signals from PC, either via ports or electrical circuit
Pro-level understanding of optics (lenses, fi lters, lights, lasers, and so forth)
0712VSD_10 100712VSD_10 10 11/29/07 10:51:14 AM11/29/07 10:51:14 AM
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w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 11
BusinessViews
tation as to what camera would be required
for a 2-D high-speed-railroad-inspection
system. Th e company had already spent
many thousands of dollars on image-pro-
cessing software to locate defects in cross-
ties using 2-D imaging techniques. Th e
problem was that their approach had not
accounted for surface stains, sealant, and
debris confusing the analysis software. We
ultimately concluded that a 3-D solution
was more appropriate for this application
and developed a Ranger-based solution that
handles these material properties nicely.
VSD: When working with a system integrator, what are you paying for?
Nagle: Speaking only for Nagle Research,
in most cases vision projects are quoted
on a fl at fee basis. Usually the process is
phone conference to discuss the challenges
and goals; if possible, samples are sent for
testing and proof-of-concept, If the project
proves solvable, we submit a proposal.
With projects whose goals are a moving tar-
get—for example, additional defects to detect
or additional accuracy requiring more cam-
eras—there will most likely be proposed a fl at
fee for a defi ned scope of work and a standard
hourly fee for work that is out of scope..
For our fee, the client receives our profes-
sional consultation, software and electrical
engineering resources, and a solution that
meets their requirements. In most cases, un-
less specifi cally agreed to, the client does not
get source code to the fi nal solution. In some
arrangements we will relinquish source code
for the application, for example, their user in-
terface and project-specifi c algorithms. Our
proprietary Javelin Vision Engine, however,
remains closed source. Javelin is the 3-D tech-
nology infrastructure to help us in developing
more robust vision systems
VSD: What are the fundamental questions to ask before calling an integrator?Nagle: Th e basic questions that need to
be answered before an integrator is called
are
• Is the project outside the scope of
in-house capabilities?
• Is the company open to using third-
party integrators?
• What is the price of failure or delays
arising from lack of internal experience?
• Is there a budget for vision that
includes third-party integration?
• Is there likelihood that given a
workable solution within budget,
the project would proceed?
If the answer to all of these is “yes,” then
most any integrator would be willing to
take the challenge. A competent integra-
tor is key to a sucessful system.
Whether or not that expertise comes
from within or from a third party is a deci-
sion the client ultimately will have to make.
Th e most important thing is that a broad
skill set and expertise in a variety of disci-
plines will be required to complete the proj-
ect on time and on budget.
0712VSD_11 110712VSD_11 11 11/29/07 10:51:36 AM11/29/07 10:51:36 AM
Main Entry: 1FireSync™
Definition: a field-proven, scalable vision engineering platform Pronunciation: 'fi(-&)r /'si[ng]k/ Usage: for rapid development of OEM vision systems
An integrated system approach to a present day jungle ofmachine vision components.
The low-level complexities indeveloping hardware interfaces, network communications and event synchronization areresolved within the FireSync platform; freeing up valuableengineering resources to
concentrate on tailoring sensorgeometry and algorithm development.
FireSync is a scalable design oftightly integrated, real-timevision system components.
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0712VSD_12 120712VSD_12 12 11/29/07 10:43:40 AM11/29/07 10:43:40 AM
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 13
TechnologyTrendsAndrew Wilson, Editor, [email protected]
System speeds package production
With the demand for increased throughput and dispa-
rate product runs, manufacturers are increasingly in-
corporating automated systems into their production
lines. With these systems in place, the manual printing,
application, and verifi cation of product labels has evolved into an
automated process, relieving human operators of tedious and re-
petitive tasks. Th is also has led to demand for system integrators
that know how to integrate mechanical, electrical, and electronic
systems. When faced with building systems, integrators must un-
derstand the intricacies of labeling heads, conveyor mechanisms,
PLC controllers, and vision-based label-verifi cation systems.
One integrator, SuperUser Solutions (Bradford, PA, USA;
www.su-solutions.com), specializes in developing integrated
packaging, barcoding, wireless, and labeling systems. “By con-
trolling the entire automation process from equipment design,
database and machine programming, installation, and main-
tenance, to the management of label and ribbon systems,” says
Andy Messineo, director of integration, “we can quickly diag-
nose and correct any problems whether they be equipment or
programming related. Th is minimizes the customer’s downtime
and keeps their operations running effi ciently.”
At this year’s Pack Expo in October (Las Vegas, NV, USA),
the company showed its latest system, an automatic top label-
ing system capable of printing, labeling, and verifying products
at rates as high as 45 packages per minute. Th e SuperUser Solu-
tions system is based around an Allen-Bradley Series 1200 pro-
grammable logic controller (PLC; see fi gure). Th e applicator is
built by SuperUser’s equipment manufacturing division, Label-
Pack (www.labelpackequipment.com).
In the SuperUser Solutions system, boxes to be labeled move along
a conveyor, and labels are applied to the center of each package. To
do this, data regarding the contents of each label must fi rst be print-
ed and then stored in a smart G3 operator interface panel from Red
Lion Controls (York, PA, USA; www.redlion.net) that is interfaced
to the PLC, printer, and label-verifi cation system via Ethernet.
As packages move along the conveyor, labels are simultaneous-
ly printed on a PAX 110R integrated printer from Zebra Technol-
ogies (Vernon Hills, IL, USA; www.zebra.com). After each label
is printed, it is transferred to a tamper that can mechanically ap-
ply each label to the carton. Before this can occur, the PLC must
wait for a trigger signal from an integrated photoelectric sensor from
Banner Engineering (Minneapolis, MN, USA; www.
bannerengineering.com) placed along the conveyor. When the photo-
electric sensor detects a box, the tamping mechanism is lowered onto
the box and the label applied. After the box has passed, the photoelec-
tric sensor is reset, ready to be triggered again by the next box.
After each box has been labeled, the barcodes containing in-
formation regarding the date, time of packaging, and ingredi-
ents of each package must be verifi ed. A photoelectric sensor is
used to trigger a P4 Omni PresencePLUS sensor from Banner
Engineering. After each label is read, the barcode information
is displayed on the G3 operator interface. Th is information can
be tied to a reject mechanism or an alarm to alert the operator
of misread codes.
“To implement a system based on the G3 interface,” says Messi-
neo, “Red Lion’s PC-based Crimson software must be used.” Th is
graphical-user interface software can be confi gured on a host PC
• IMAGE PROCESSING
SuperUser Solutions automatic top labeling system can print, label, and verify packaged labels. Using an embedded PC smart HMI user interface to control the printing mechanism, applicator, and barcode verifi cation system, the labeling system can achieve speeds of up to 45 packages per minute.
0712VSD_13 130712VSD_13 13 11/29/07 10:43:54 AM11/29/07 10:43:54 AM
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om14
TechnologyTrends
Conventional fi ngerprint systems process
inked fi ngerprint cards that have been
manually scanned or fi ngerprints that
are electronically digitized with fl atbed
scanners. To date, hundreds of millions
of such prints have been collected and en-
rolled into systems such as the US Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Integrated
Automated Fingerprint Identifi cation Sys-
tem and the US Department of Homeland
Security (Washington, DC, USA; www.
dhs.gov) Automated Biometric Identifi ca-
tion System.
To digitize all ten prints from the dig-
its of the hands, today’s capture tech-
nology requires approximately three
minutes. In 2004, the Department of
Homeland Security instructed the FBI
to expand its fi ngerprint database, man-
dating the use of faster scanning times.
Th at same year, the National Institute
of Justice (NIJ; Washington, DC, USA;
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij) solicited applica-
tions for a fast fi ngerprint-capture pro-
gram to develop more effi cient methods
for collecting fi ngerprints.
“Th e NIJ has two basic requirements
for fast fi ngerprint-capture systems,” says
Laurence Hassebrook, associate profes-
sor of electrical and computer engineer-
ing at the University of Kentucky (Lex-
ington, KY, USA; www.uky.edu). “First,
the system must scan all the digits of one
hand in less than 10 s, and second, it must
generate an image of a rolled-equivalent
scan—fi nger nail to fi nger nail—at 500
pixels/in. or better without the help of a
human operator.”
Four independent projects for live-scan
replacement are included under the NIJ
Fast Fingerprint Capture Program us-
ing sensor technologies that are consid-
erably diff erent from either ink or fl atbed-
scanner based systems. At Cross Match
Technologies (West Palm Beach, FL,
USA; www.crossmatch.com), the com-
pany is developing a U-shaped fl exible
polymer-foil-based substrate with a sen-
sor that conforms to the shape of each
fi nger. Using a diff erent approach, TBS
North America (Herndon, VA, USA;
www.tbsinc.com) is developing a circu-
lar optical mirror system that the fi ngers
are drawn across, creating an image. At
the International Association for Identi-
fi cation Exhibition and Conference (July
24–28; San Diego, CA, USA) the com-
pany announced a single-fi nger version of
the product, known as the Touchless Ten
Printer, capable of digitizing 10 rolled
equivalents in less than 20 s. A prototype
device capable of multiple fi nger digitiza-
tion is expected soon.
Finally, both Carnegie Mellon Universi-
ty (CMU; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; www.cmu.
edu) and the University of Kentucky are de-
veloping camera-based systems that capture
the 3-D shape of the hand and the friction
•BIOMETRICS
Vision systems tackle fi ngerprint analysis
and at runtime transferred to the host G3
HMI over USB, Ethernet, or manually
using fl ash memory. “For simple applica-
tions,” says Messineo, “the software allows
you to add, edit, and delete modules such
as PLCs, motor drivers, photoelectric sen-
sors, and barcode readers and map data col-
lected from them to other external devices
on the network.”
“To confi gure the PresencePLUS sensor
for this application, it is interfaced to a PC
running PresencePLUS PC software,” says
Messineo. “Th en system settings, the bar-
code inspection, and the communication
interface must be set before the sensor is in-
terfaced to the Red Lion HMI.” After con-
fi guring the sensor to operate over Ethernet,
the Banner vision sensor can automatically
transfer discrete I/O and inspection pass/
fail information over Ethernet. In this case,
however, it was necessary to transfer vision
tool results to the Red Lion HMI. “Because
of this, a communication tool, available as
part of the PresencePLUS software, was
used to export measured barcode infor-
mation to the HMI over an Ethernet in-
terface,” Messineo says. “It allows you to
adjust printer and applicator parameters re-
motely over any Internet connection.”
Four independent projects for live-scan replacement are included under the NIJ Fast Fingerprint Capture Program using sensor techno logies that are consider-ably different from either ink- or fl atbed-scanner-based systems. These include a fl exible foil contact sensor from Cross Match Technologies (top left), a Hand-Shot identifi cation system from CMU (top right), and prototype fi nger and hand readers from the University of Kentucky (bottom right).
0712VSD_14 140712VSD_14 14 11/29/07 10:44:16 AM11/29/07 10:44:16 AM
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TechnologyTrends
www.v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c om
ridges of the fi ngers and palms. CMU’s sys-
tem, the Hand Shot ID system, constructs
a 3-D model of both hands by stitching im-
ages from multiple cameras.
To simultaneously obtain 1000-pix-
el/in. images of all 10 rolled-equivalent
fi nger and both palm ridge patterns and
minutiae within less than 5 s, the Hand-
Shot ID System uses multiple cameras
and spotlights to eliminate the need for
glass platen imaging. “For HandShot to
accurately and instantly capture and re-
cord friction ridge skin detail on 10 rolled-
equivalent fi ngerprints and both palm
prints within 5 s,” says Latanya Sweeney
of CMU’s Data Privacy Lab, “the system
constructs a 3-D model of both hands,
including palms, fi ngerprints, fi ngertips,
and sides of the fi ngers. Image-processing
algorithms then stitch images from mul-
tiple cameras together to form a complete
3-D model of both hands, extract ridge
detail, and translate the 3-D images to
standard formats.”
Rather than use spotlights to illumi-
nate the hand, Hassebrook and his col-
leagues at the University of Kentucky re-
ly on structured light. By projecting and
capturing a series of striped patterns over
an object, its shape can then be deduced
by analyzing the way the stripes warp over
the object’s surface when viewed at an an-
gle by a camera. In Hassebrook’s system,
the hand is scanned, a 3-D image gener-
ated in real-time and then converted to
simulate a 2-D rolled fi ngerprint.
Developed in conjunction with Flash-
Scan 3-D (Austin, TX, USA; www.
fl ashscan3D.com), the initial prototype
scanned a single fi nger. Th e subject plac-
es a fi nger over an opening in the systems
enclosure. A digital light projector projects
a series of striped patters onto the fi nger’s
ridges. An array of three Camera Link cam-
eras from Basler (Ahrensburg, Germany;
www.baslerweb.com) then acquires a se-
ries of images that wrap around the fi nger.
Th ese images are transferred to a host PC
using two Solios XCL video-capture cards
from Matrox Imaging (Dorval, QC, Can-
ada; www.matrox.com/imaging).
A second prototype uses a single 4M-
pixel Camera Link camera with a single
Matrox Helios capture card to acquire
a scan region large enough to capture a
human subject’s palm. Th e system can
also acquire the prints of all four fi ngers
simultaneously but does not achieve
wraparound scanning of any fi nger. To
achieve instantaneous acquisition, future
prototypes will feature a single, contin-
uously projected custom designed com-
posite pattern instead of the projected
striped patters and higher-resolution
cameras for simultaneous acquisition of
the entire hand with wraparound fi nger
scanning. After the system is completed,
it will be tested by the Kentucky State
Police and then delivered to the NIJ for
further evaluation.
0712VSD_16 160712VSD_16 16 11/29/07 10:44:54 AM11/29/07 10:44:54 AM
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TechnologyTrends
Shipping the correct product in the proper
package is vitally important in the phar-
maceutical industry. Should drugs be
wrongly packaged, the patient could suf-
fer serious medical complications. Th us, it
is vital that each drug be properly pack-
aged and labeled. However, since similar
containers are often used by pharmaceuti-
cal vendors, proper labeling alone may not
guarantee that the correct drug is placed
in the package.
To overcome these limitations, suppli-
ers of such containers are now embedding
radio frequency identifi cation (RFID)
ICs into the containers before shipping
them to pharmaceutical vendors. By pro-
gramming these RFID tags with the type
and strength of each drug and other rel-
evant data, pharmaceutical vendors are
providing their customers with a secure
way of packaging the correct product in
the proper package.
“RFID tags provide only one level of secu-
rity,” says Brian Mack, sales engineer with
CIVision (Aurora, IL, USA; www.civision.
com), a manufacturer of machine-vision
systems. “As well as reading the RFID tags,
each package must be inspected to ensure
that the information contained in the bar-
code label on the package corresponds with
that of the RFID tag.”
CIVision has developed a pharmaceuti-
cal-packaging-inspection system, known
as LOMAX RFID, using off -the-shelf ma-
chine-vision components (see fi gure). PC-
based, the system inspects pharmaceutical
packages as they move along a conveyor
belt and into a specially designed housing
that accommodates the lighting, RFID
reader, and CCD cameras.
As containers enter this housing, a
Cobalt HF reader from Escort Memory
Systems (EMS; Scotts Valley, CA, USA;
www.ems-rfi dj.com) reads the informa-
tion stored in the RFID tag. “Because
tags emit signals with power levels on
the order of millwatts, the reader’s sen-
sitivity is paramount,” says Mack. “De-
velopers must also take into account
the receive noise, interference, and oth-
er eff ects that may increase a reader’s bit-
error rate —the ratio of the number of
bits incorrectly received to the total num-
ber of bits sent in a specifi ed period. Th e
EMS Cobalt HF reader, with –77-dBm
sensitivity, provides enough power to acti-
vate a tag buried inside a pallet of stacked
cases,” he says.
After the Cobalt HF reader checks each
tag, data from each tag are transferred to
the host PC over an Ethernet interface. To
compare this information with the two-
dimensional Data Matrix code located
on each container, the barcode of each la-
bel is then read. As containers move along
the conveyor, they are illuminated by a 4
× 0.5-in. FL201 area red LED front light
from Metaphase Technologies (Bensalem,
PA, USA; www.metaphase-tech.com), and
an image of the package is captured us-
ing an A640 640 × 480-pixel gray-scale
Gigabit Ethernet camera from Basler
Vision Technologies (Ahrensburg, Germa-
ny; www.baslerweb.com).
To transfer captured images to the host
PC, CIVision Engineers used a Solios
GigE interface card from Matrox Imaging
(Dorval, QC, Canada; www.matrox.com/
imaging) that offl oads the GigE Vision
protocol and reconstructs images from
transmitted data packets and passes the
resulting image to the computer host. Ac-
cording to CIVision’s Mack, this frees
up host resources and avoiding interrupt
loading on the PC. Just as with its suc-
cessful LOMAX NB (Neck and Bottle
Inspection) CIVision used the Matrox
Imaging Library (MIL) to capture and
process these images(see Vision Systems Design, February 2007, p. 19).
Using MIL measurement functions, a re-
gion of interest around the barcode of each
package is isolated and then read. Th ese
data are then compared with the data col-
lected from the RFID system and the re-
sults of the comparison displayed on the
operator’s console. Once again, the compa-
ny used its CIVCore, a user interface with
MIL low-level vision processing, to control
the inspection process.
As each part emerges from the inspec-
tion station, packages where both barcode
and RFID information can be rejected by
pneumatically controlled actuators using a
PLC programmed from the host PC. With
the ability to inspect approximately 400
packages per minute on a single production
line, the LOMAX RFID can be supplied
in a number of diff erent confi gurations, ac-
cording to Mack. “Pricing of each system
is dependent on a number of factors, in-
cluding the type of product and the speed
required,” he adds.
•LABEL TRACKING
RFID and vision team for pharmaceutical packaging
LOMAX RFID system combines off-the-shelf machine-vision components to inspect parts at more than 400 packages per minute (left). Software from Matrox reads Data Matrix codes and compares the data from embedded RFID tags; the results are displayed on a graphical user interface (below).
0712VSD_18 180712VSD_18 18 11/29/07 10:45:56 AM11/29/07 10:45:56 AM
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To meet supplier demands, manufacturers
of bottled products must fi ll, cap, and seal
products rapidly using high-speed systems.
Th en each of these products must be checked
to determine whether the bottle has been
fi lled to an acceptable level and whether the
cap is correctly placed and positioned.
“Today,” says Steve Belling, product
manager with Silgan Equipment Com-
pany (Downers Grove, IL, USA; www.
silganequipmentcompany.com), “these
manufacturers are also incorporating add-
ed levels of protection in the form of tam-
per bands that are wrapped around the cap.
With tamper bands in place at the base of
the closure, consumers are assured that the
product has not been altered. Furthermore,
such sealing also guarantees the quality and
freshness of the bottled product.”
While such packaging techniques may
provide the consumer with an added level
of security, they present the system
integrator tasked with high-speed in-
spection an extra level of complex-
ity. Not only must the automated
inspection system check for correct
fi ll level and proper cap placement,
it must also inspect the integrity of
the tamper band. At this year’s Pack
Expo (Las Vegas, NV, USA), Silgan
Equipment presented its latest bot-
tle-inspection system capable of per-
forming all three tasks at speeds of
up to 1200 bottles/min (see fi gure).
Conveyor-based, the Silgan sys-
tem uses an embedded host PC and
a PLC to control all the functions of
the machine, including the conveyor
speed, lighting control, camera inter-
face, triggering mechanisms, and re-
jection mechanisms. In operation, bottles to
be inspected move along the conveyor where
they are illuminated by a 2.5-in.-square
white fl at-panel LED. After their presence
•QUALITY CONTROL
Machine vision checks bottle-cap seals
Capable of inspecting as many as 1200 bottles/min, Silgan’s bottle-cap-inspection system uses multiple cameras to provide 360o views of each bottle as it passes through a vision-based inspection station.
0712VSD_20 200712VSD_20 20 11/29/07 10:46:46 AM11/29/07 10:46:46 AM
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TechnologyTrends
is detected by a photoelectric detector from
Banner Engineering (Minneapolis, MN,
USA; www.bannerengineering.com), three
RGB FireWire cameras from Sony Electron-
ics (Park Ridge, NJ, USA; www.sony.com/
videocameras) digitize three images of the
top of the container. “By placing these cam-
eras 180o apart,” says Belling, “each camera
can capture at least a 120o view of the con-
tainer. In this way, a complete 360o inspec-
tion can be accomplished.”
After the images are captured and trans-
ferred to the host PC, they are processed by
software running on the host PC. Rather than
use off -the shelf software, Silgan contracted
Manufacturing Control Solutions (MCS;
Glen Ellyn, IL, USA; mcsvision.com) to de-
velop the software application, based on MCS
C++ image-processing library and Visual C++
user interface. “As bottles pass through the
inspection station,” says Belling, “the height,
width, gap size, and horizontal position of the
tamper band must be measured and com-
pared with programmable limits.”
A known region of interest (ROI) within
the image is determined and edge detection
performed to fi nd the middle of the cap and
the middle of the neck of the bottle. “Since
the tamper band should be located between
the middle of the cap and the middle of the
neck,” says Belling, “any missing band will
make this region appear brighter, since light
will not be obstructed by a tamper band.” In
this way, the system can detect the presence
or absence of the tamper band.
Fill-level inspection is performed similarly.
Should a bottle be incorrectly fi lled, the inten-
sity of light passing though the bottle will ap-
pear lower than if the bottle is correctly fi lled,
since the contents will attenuate light.
To inspect for the correct position and col-
or of each cap, the software measures the dis-
tance of the lefthand side, righthand side, and
middle distance between the neck of the bot-
tle and each cap. “In this way,” says Belling,
“the software can determine whether the cap is
correctly placed. By measuring the color in a
specifi c ROI within the cap, the color consis-
tency of each cap can also be checked.”
After each of these parameters is stored in
host-PC memory, a networked encoder mod-
ule under control of a Series 1200 PLC from
Micrologix/Allen-Bradley (Milwaukee, WI,
USA; www.ab.com) tracks the bottle position
for potential rejection. Should any bottle fail
some or all of the inspection, the PC triggers
the PLC to reject the bottle using a pneumatic
actuator. Says Belling, “Th e system also stores
the information about each inspection in a
Microsoft-compatible database, allowing
quality-assurance information to be written
to a spreadsheet for later retrieval.”
Often called inserts or outserts (depending
if they are in the carton or on the bottle),
folded documents are placed on the inside
or outside of prescription medications and
provide the consumer with a complete de-
scription of the drug, its properties, any
health hazards associated with its use, lot
dates, and other manufacturers codes. Th e
documents can also include chemical for-
mulas, barcodes, and graphical molecu-
lar diagrams that are printed, then folded,
and attached to each medication. Although
consumers rarely read these documents, the
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
mandates that they be included.
“In the past,” says Gary Parish of Complete
Integration Systems (CIS; Indialantic, FL,
USA; www.completeinspectionsystems.
com), “the original documents were created
in a Word format. Th en images such as
diagrams were scanned and pasted on and
submitted to the FDA for approval. After
the documentation was created, it was for-
matted in a single-page document and sent
to the printer. To ensure the correct infor-
mation was printed on the document, the
original Word version was compared with
the printed version before multiple docu-
ments could be printed.”
To ensure accuracy, the FDA created the
•QUALITY CONTROL
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0712VSD_22 220712VSD_22 22 11/29/07 10:47:37 AM11/29/07 10:47:37 AM
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w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 23
TechnologyTrends
200% manual inspection rule, requiring
two individuals to compare the two docu-
ments. Recently, the FDA has standardized
the initial original New Drug Application
submission format to an XML structure,
but the conversion to the insert requires the
same proofreading intensity to improve ac-
curacy of the fi nal printed material. But, un-
like the standard “drug facts” on label copy,
the type size, paper, and print color and con-
trast may still make reading diffi cult. “Now,”
says Parish, “with the introduction of the
FDA 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, regula-
tions are in place for electronic records and
signatures to also ensure pharmaceutical
manufacturers must validate that the docu-
ment and revisions are correctly identifi ed as
well as containing the correct copy.”
With documents so highly complex, proof-
readers may spend many hours on each docu-
ment to ensure that each one is correct. Add
in multiple languages such as Japanese, Greek,
or Chinese, and the task is almost impossible.
Even with such people in place,” says Parish,
“any human error such as a misplaced deci-
mal point can result in costly recalls for the
pharmaceutical manufacturer or vendors or
a fatal dosage for the patient.”
CIS has developed a number of auto-
mated documentation systems and soft-
ware suites that can scan, recognize, and
automatically detect any errors between an
original electronically generated document
and a proof or press version. Th e suite of
software, known as AutoProof Pro, consists
of a number of diff erent modules.
Most original documents are created by
the manufacturer and sent to a printer. Th e
printed inserts are shipped to the pharma-
ceutical manufacturer for incoming 200%
inspection. To reduce the inspection process
by up to 95%, CIS provides an image-com-
pare module integrated with several input
devices. For comparing materials up to 11
× 17 in., a fl atbed scanner is used. For larg-
er material, a sheet-fed scanner that can ac-
commodate up to a 54 × 54-in. documents
at up to 1200 dpi is used. After images are
scanned, Docu-Match software auto-aligns
the two images and fi nds any diff erence in
text, images, and color. “Th e software auto-
matically aligns the “master” and incoming
material” for accurate comparison.
“In many cases,” says Parish, “the pre-
press version must be compared with a
document generated as an Adobe Acro-
bat PDF fi le.” To do this, the PDF is con-
verted to a bitmap and compared at the
same resolution as the scanned materials.
For comparing electronic revisions, CIS
can compare each character, character for
character, even though the format and lo-
cation of the copy has moved. Results of
the diff erences between digitized and orig-
inal documents can then be compared on
the PC’s monitor (see fi gure).
Many of these vendors produce drugs
for clinical trials, for which small batches
of labels must also be checked for accuracy.
For these companies, CIS has developed a
programmable vision workstation that us-
es a digital camera with the same software
suite to check labels printed on laser, ther-
mal-transfer, or dot-matrix printers. To do
this, the camera captures each label to detect
defects as small as 0.005 in. and uses optical
character recognition to read multiple areas
on the labels and compare the data with that
from clinical-label generation program.
Says Parish, “We generally off er a to-
tally integrated system including com-
puter, cameras, scanners, and software to
simplify validation and use. It has already
been adopted by several pharmaceutical,
prepress, and printing companies, which
need to rapidly and accurately check high-
ly complex documents.”
By registering original pharmaceutical documents with prepress versions, pharmaceutical vendors are using soft-ware from CIS to proofread text, bar-codes, graphics, and molecular diagrams.
0712VSD_23 230712VSD_23 23 11/29/07 10:47:58 AM11/29/07 10:47:58 AM
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0712VSD_24 240712VSD_24 24 11/29/07 11:01:34 AM11/29/07 11:01:34 AM
IndustrialAutomation Products
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 25
A hot application for machine vi-
sion right now is vision-guided
robotics for automatic loading
and unloading of shipping racks.
Th e benefi ts provided to manufacturers for
automating this application make the job
of cost justifi cation easy. A manufacturing
line fully automated except for
the load/unload process will
be constrained by the opera-
tor tending the line. And since
many times the parts are heavy
and awkward, the safety of the
operator is often a concern.
A typical shipping rack in an
automotive stamping plant has
a footprint of 4 × 8 ft and will
hold about an hour’s worth of
production, depending on the
complexity of the subassembly
or the size of the parts. A fork-
lift driver will pick up a full
rack and drop off a new empty
rack in station in a loosely de-
fi ned location.
Shipping racks are not preci-
sion tooling. Th ey are designed
to provide maximum protection to the prod-
uct at a minimum cost, since there might be
100 or more racks in the system at one time.
Th ey are handled roughly, jostled during tran-
sit in the trailer, and can be stored outside. An
automated cell to load the racks has to take all
of these factors into consideration.
THE PROBLEMLet’s look at what goes into a completed
solution for an auto-racking application.
We’ll do this in the context of a case study
of a system successfully integrated and in-
stalled in a stamping plant. Th e application
is loading completed side sill assemblies in-
to a rack. Th e side sill is a sheet-metal
stamped part about 6 ft long weigh-
ing 25 lb. Th e rack has seven hooks
on each side and each hook holds sev-
en parts. When completely fi lled, the
rack is rotated and the other side is
loaded (see Fig. 1).
Besides fi nding the overall location
of the rack, the vision system has to
ensure the rack is not damaged and ac-
ceptable to load without a crash.
If the shipping bar is up, the
part will crash into
the rack. If an arm
is bent down, the
robot will scrape
the part across
the bar and dam-
age the part .
On the surface
this type of appli-
cation appears to
be a fait accom-pli—an automa-
tion solution that
can be purchased
off -the-shelf. But seeing
a demonstration of feasibility is
about 5% to 10% of the total engineer-
ing eff ort it takes to get a fully imple-
Developing vision-guided robotic workcellsRobot, smart cameras, lighting, and PC teamed in auto-racking application.
By Valerie Bolhouse
FIGURE 1. An auto-racking application in a automotive stamping plant required that completed side sill assemblies be loaded in a shipping rack (top); a drawing shows the rack with two parts loaded and the shipping bar (yellow) in the up position (right).
VALERIE BOLHOUSE was formerly a vision specialist at Ford Motor Company, Detroit, MI, USA. She has presented fi ve Vision Systems Design Webcasts on the Fundamentals of Machine Vision, available on demand at www.vision-systems.com.
0712VSD_25 250712VSD_25 25 11/29/07 11:02:35 AM11/29/07 11:02:35 AM
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om26
IndustrialAutomation Products
mented system in your facility. So if you see
a demonstration at a vision show or supplier
shop, all you really know is that the vision sys-
tem is able to locate features on that particular
rack and provide off sets to a robot to load a
small sample of parts into the rack.
A fully automated cell has to handle all
the variation in parts and racks that you
will see in production and anything else
you can throw at it. A successful applica-
tion has planned for and tested the varia-
tion before installation. Th e process steps
we used at Ford Motor Co. for one such
application are
• Defi ne system requirements
• Develop vision solution feasibility
• Optimize overall system process
• Develop hardware/software architecture
• Vision solution development
• Integration & debug
• Validation
• Installation
Th e process fl ow for the overall cell op-
eration should be defi ned. It has to include
both defi ned functions and any possible
exceptions to the fl ow. For example, you
might want to design the cell to start load-
ing only completely empty racks. What will
happen if the driver drops off a partially
loaded rack? How will the automation
identify the situation, and what is the next
step? Any interaction that requires operator
intervention should be closely analyzed.
Since you are developing an automated
cell, an operator might not be readily avail-
able to fi x the situation and resume cell oper-
ation. You could lose substantial throughput
if the cell sits in an error state for an extended
period. Also, there are safety concerns if the
operator is expected to enter the area around
the robot or the drop off area where the truck
drives, or if the fork lift driver has to exit his
vehicle to tend to the rack or automation.
Before you get too far down the path,
you need to verify the feasibility of us-
ing vision to solve this application. At this
point, you might want to consider both ro-
bot-mounted and stationary cameras. Eval-
uate the robustness, cost, and complexity
of each solution. Th e shipping rack should
be evaluated for strong, repeatable features
that can be used to provide off sets.
Diff erent solutions using competing sup-
plier’s systems and various lighting tech-
niques can be analyzed. Determine the
camera resolution requirements. Th e solu-
tion with the highest probability of success
at an aff ordable cost should be selected—
not necessarily the lowest cost proposal.
Once you understand the issues with the
vision application and have selected a vision
integrator, it is time for the team to discuss
the entire system. An optimal system solution
requires trade-off s between the vision, robot,
material handling, cell controller, and other
automation devices in the cell. By knowing
the hardware and software capabilities of the
selected equipment, you can determine which
equipment handles which tasks.
Th e entire project team, including vision
integrator, process equipment integrator,
plant operations, material-handling spe-
cialists, and system integrator should meet
early and often to develop the concepts and
architecture for the overall solution. Repeat
steps 1 through 4 iteratively until the team
is satisfi ed that the solution meets the cost,
complexity, and robustness targets identi-
fi ed. Decisions made at this point in the
project will determine the overall success
you will achieve.
Once the architecture is defi ned, an over-
all system specifi cation must be written. Be
specifi c. Missing details (that is, just say-
ing that the robot must automatically load
parts) can lead to disappointments with
the operator interface, calibration proce-
dure, and packaging. If the vision solution
for robot guidance is a commercial prod-
uct—either embedded in the robot control-
ler or a third party PC-based vision sys-
tem—you have an advantage because you
can evaluate the system before you make
the decision to purchase. When each sub-
system has a specifi cation for its tasks, the
vision integrator can then design the spe-
cifi c solution.
Do not underestimate the amount of en-
gineering it takes to provide a good operator
interface and calibration procedure. Many
suppliers believe their intellectual proper-
ty is contained in their vision algorithms.
In practice, customer satisfaction is deter-
mined almost entirely on ease of recovering
from problems during production. Vision
algorithm performance is simply the mini-
mum requirement to do the application.
Th e integration, debug, and installation
procedures follow standard project man-
agement guidelines. While they are also
critical to the success of the project, it is
not a subject covered in this article.
WHAT WE DIDWe shipped a rack and some parts to the vi-
sion integrator to program a feasibility dem-
FIGURE 2. Target fi ducials were drilled in the rack for the vision system to use for hook location (left). The vision system locates the black targets against the white background (right).
0712VSD_26 260712VSD_26 26 11/29/07 11:03:07 AM11/29/07 11:03:07 AM
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0712VSD_29 290712VSD_29 29 11/29/07 11:04:44 AM11/29/07 11:04:44 AM
Visionjunction
box
Lights
Robotcontroller
Visioncomputer
Robot mountedSmartcameras
Ethernet
Light control
Power
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om30
IndustrialAutomation Products
onstration. Th e preferred solution was sta-
tionary cameras to eliminate the problem of
video cable breakage on the robot. However,
because of the size of the rack and the resolu-
tion needed for loading, more than 16 cam-
eras would have been required. Th is made the
system too expensive, so we proceeded with a
robot-mounted solution with trepidation. Ro-
bot-mounted cameras actually turned out to
be the easier, lower risk solution.
With our sample parts we determined
that the clearance between the part and
hook was too tight for reliable operation.
More important, we did not have any vi-
sion features on the rack to locate the angle
of the hook to accommodate the variabil-
ity caused by age and damage to the racks.
Fortunately, the racks were going to be re-
furbished anyway, and simple inexpensive
modifi cations could be included.
Th e fi rst thing we did was to reduce the
size of the hook. It was the top tab holding
the parts in, not the sides, so these were re-
duced to the width of the bar. Th en we add-
ed vision targets (fi ducials) to critical areas of
the rack. Since the racks get damaged and
rust over time, we did not want labels or
painted-on targets. We had the rack supplier
drill holes in the rack for the targets.
Th e lighting was confi gured to saturate the
surface of the hook, enabling the vision sys-
tem to look for black holes against a white
background. Even if the edges of the hook are
damaged or corroded, the features of the hole
will be unchanged. Th e best vision features
are those designed right into the product spe-
cifi cally for vision, not just working with what
you have. Having the shipping rack designer
on the team early enabled us to make these
critical design changes (see Fig. 2).
We still had to address our maintenance
concern with robot-mounted cameras and
the durability of the cables. At other plants
we had had to redo the wiring on many ro-
bot cells because the cables would break af-
ter a few thousand cycles. A decision to use
smart cameras instead of PC-based vision
had a huge impact on cable simplifi cation
and packaging.
Th e wiring and controls for the cameras
and lights were consolidated in a junction
box mounted on the robot arm. Th en an
FIGURE 4. Because the smart cameras have on-board I/O, they can control the light from the vision junction box, so only a power and Ethernet connection need to be made to the robot and vision controller.
FIGURE 3. End-effector mounted camera junction box on the back of the robot consolidates the wiring from three cameras and two light sources. An Ethernet switch reduces the connection to the vision computer to one cable.
0712VSD_30 300712VSD_30 30 11/29/07 11:05:11 AM11/29/07 11:05:11 AM
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w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 31
IndustrialAutomation Products
Ethernet switch mounted in the junction
box further consolidated the wiring. And
since the smart camera could trigger the
LEDs with on-board I/O, we only had to
route two cables on the robot itself—an
Ethernet cable and power.
Th e cable was further sectioned with a
junction at the base of the robot, so that
if the robot-mounted cable broke an op-
erator would not have to go into the cable
trays and fi sh out the wires. Th is greatly re-
duces maintenance time. Compare this to
a PC-based vision system and all the wires
that would have to be routed, and you can
see why people get so excited about smart
camera packaging for machine vision. We
paid a $15,000 premium to use smart cam-
eras over PC-based vision for this applica-
tion, but everyone thought it was worth the
money (see Figs. 3 and 4).
Th e cell integrator designed the robot
end-eff ector tooling and did a good job of
protecting the cameras from a robot crash.
Because the smart camera comes in a fac-
tory hardened enclosure, it did not have to
be put in a separate enclosure, saving both
money and weight. A screw-on lens protec-
tor cap was used to cover the lens. Th e in-
tegrator provided a heavy gauge guarding
around the cameras and lights. Near-in-
frared LEDs were selected for the lighting
to protect the fork truck drivers from the
annoyance of fl ashing lights. Th ese devices
are strobed and packaged in a factory-hard-
ened, thermally effi cient housing, ensuring
their 50,000-hour-rated lifetime exceeds
the anticipated life of the cell (see Fig. 5).
If you talk about the robot crashing, ro-
bot suppliers will tell you that robots don’t
crash—they are reliable and the controllers
don’t get out of sequence or go in the weeds.
While it might be true that robots don’t
crash, people do crash robots. Most crashes
happen during or after some maintenance
operation. We had two crashes already on
this robot, one during system debug and
another when there was a damaged rack in
the cell and the maintenance operator, at-
tempting to remove the part, got the coor-
dinate frames mixed up. Th e cameras sur-
vived both crashes (see Fig. 6).
Even with smart cameras, the vision sys-
tem requires a PC to provide an operator
interface and do the math calculations of
3-D stereo vision. Th e PC can also be used
to store images of failed operations and data
logging. Don’t forget to make the PC ro-
bust, since it is required for the operation
of the cell. A desktop PC in an enclosure is
not an industrial PC. You also need to back
up the hard drive, either over the network
or with a redundant hard drive.
Th e programming console for the vision
guidance system should be designed for an
operator, not vision engineer. While engi-
FIGURE 5. The smart camera was well protected from a robot crash and, since it came in a factory hardened shell, did not require a separate enclosure.
FIGURE 6. Two cameras with IR LED light view the hooks to fi nd the full depth of fi eld position of the hook in the rack using stereo vision. This geometry is used to guide the side sill to the back of the arm without scraping.
0712VSD_31 310712VSD_31 31 11/29/07 11:05:50 AM11/29/07 11:05:50 AM
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om32
IndustrialAutomation Products
neers get excited about programming vision
systems, operators and skilled trades can be
intimidated. Operators should not have to use
gray-scale or pixels. Off sets are in millimeters.
Make it simple and graphical for ease of use.
HANDLING THE SYSTEMYou will need functions available to handle
vision system setup when things go wrong
in the cell. A really important function is
calibration verifi cation. When the robot
can no longer load parts in the right loca-
tion, the fi rst thing people suspect is what
is considered to be the most complex thing
in the cell—the vision system.
Th ey will tweak the calibration between
the vision system and robot, and usually
end up making the problem worse. If you
provide a calibration verifi cation function,
the operator can test calibration before
changing it. One simple push of a button,
and the system will say whether the cali-
bration is OK or not. If it is OK, they can
look elsewhere for problems.
Another important function is autocalibra-
tion. If a calibration target is in the cell, anoth-
er push of the button, and the system can reca-
librate itself without the operator ever having
to lock out the cell and enter the work area.
Th e third function is simplifi ed camera
replacement. If you provide graphic over-
lays, you can guide the repositioning of a
camera so that the system will require only
minimal recalibration. A post in the cell is
our calibration target (see Fig. 7).
Th e vision system consists of a PC and
three smart cameras running under a com-
mercial robot-guidance software package. It
is a slave device to the robot controller that
gets its commands from the cell controller
PLC. All communication is done over Eth-
ernet. Th e three smart cameras are mounted
on the robot tooling: two cameras at the top
form a stereo pair to fi nd the hook position
and angle and the bottom camera locates
the center between the guides.
Th e vision PC calculates off sets and angles
from the location of target fi ducials on the
front tab and the back of the rack. Th e front
tab establishes the position of the hook so
that the robot can center the hole in the part
over the tab—similar to threading a nee-
dle. Th e rear fi ducial in combination with
the front fi ducial establishes the angle of the
hook. Once the fi rst part is loaded, it is as-
sumed that the angle of the hook does not
change for the next six parts on that hook,
but the location is measured again for each
subsequent part in case the rack was moved
between parts. Camera 3 is used to center
the 6-ft part between the guide rails at the
bottom and the hook at the top.
Th e cameras also use Ethernet to commu-
nicate with the vision PC, but their commu-
nication is local and restricted to the vision
PC in the cell. Th e robot controls all motion
and positions within the cell and only uses
the vision system to provide off sets to the
load positions. Using robot-mounted cam-
eras enables a lower-risk, more-robust solu-
tion because the magnitude of allowable off -
set for robot motion can be restricted to what
is reasonable for an undamaged rack. If the
vision camera should misidentify a feature
and make an erroneous calculation, an error
would be fl agged before the robot was sent
to an invalid location.
IN OPERATIONTh e vision PC initiates an acquire-image
command to the smart cameras. Th e cam-
eras snap the picture, process the image, and
return the location of the target it identi-
fi es. Th e intelligence of the system resides
in the PC, which under the control of the
robot guidance software package, uses the
target locations to perform one of its speci-
fi ed functions: calibrate, verify calibration,
and provide the robot with off sets and angles
for loading parts on the hooks.
Before loading the fi rst part in the rack
it is necessary to check for the shipping
bar to be in the down position and for
the rack to be empty. Th e team decided
not to automatically load partially fi lled
racks. Th is decision simplifi ed the system
design considerably, and fi t in with stan-
dard production practice. Initially, it was
going to be the vision integrator’s respon-
sibility to verify that the rack was ready
to load. Vision cameras were considered,
but these two checks were actually quite
diffi cult to do with vision.
We decided to use a laser safety curtain
to verify empty racks and a laser proxim-
ity switch for the shipping bar position.
Breaking a through-beam safety curtain
is intuitively more straight forward than
programming a vision system to look
through an empty rack onto the factory
fl oor and verifying no parts are in the rack.
Th e system integrator took responsibility
for these two checks, again simplifying
the overall system.
Th is project was successful primarily be-
cause the entire team got together early and
made good trade-off s in the system design.
What could have been a diffi cult vision so-
lution turned out to be almost trivial for the
vision system: fi nding three black circles
against a white background. Th e most ro-
bust automation solutions are those where
no detail is overlooked and good engineer-
ing principles are used to solve complex
problems with the simplest approach.
KUKA Flexible Production Systems Sterling Heights, MI, USAwww.kukarobotics.comShafi , Brighton, MI, USA www.shafi inc.com CEC Controls, Wixom, MI, USAwww.ceccontrols.com Co
mpa
ny In
fo
FIGURE 7. A calibration post is positioned in the cell, and trained to the robot coordinate system during installation. After the installation, the column post is used to verify calibration and to recalibrate the system in case of camera replacement or robot crash.
0712VSD_32 320712VSD_32 32 11/29/07 11:06:37 AM11/29/07 11:06:37 AM
0712VSD_34 340712VSD_34 34 11/29/07 11:08:41 AM11/29/07 11:08:41 AM
ProfileProfile
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 35
Industry Solutions
By Winn Hardin , Contributing Editor
“We use true optical character verifi cation, which compares fonts to libraries of digital images,”
explains Systech software engineer Mike Soborski. “We use digital stacking to create variet-
ies of the code that include common skew and other distortions based on our knowledge of
what typically happens in a pharmaceutical laser printer. Unlike items in the food industry,
a vial of medicine may cost $100 and be produced at 350 vials a minute. Pharmaceutical
manufacturers do not want this line to go down. Engineers spending their time tweaking
thresholds or optical character recognition tools is simply not acceptable.”
OCV supports FDA-compliant packaging lineMultiple machine-vision stations inspect and verify pharmaceutical vial-packaging system.
Amajor pharmaceutical manufacturer with a
packaging facility in Puerto Rico recently
asked Systech International to design, qual-
ify, and install a vial-packaging line compli-
ant with US FDA 21 CFR standards, including label
application, tray fi lling, and palletizing. Th e line had
to be fl exible enough to accommodate new products
or to add new sensors and software and to report ca-
pabilities without having to be recertifi ed.
Any software or hardware change to a pharmaceu-
tical manufacturing line must provide an audit trail
for 100% of lot production. If a system—particularly
software—is not properly designed and compartmen-
talized, changes to any part of the system can warrant
a revalidation of the entire line. By using off -the-shelf
modular software proven to comply with 21 CFR 211,
only the new modules and aff ected supervisory func-
tions must be validated when something is added to
or subtracted from the production line.
Th e Systech manufacturing line includes two mono-
chrome optical-character-verifi cation
(OCV) machine-vision inspection sta-
tions at the front-end cut-away labeler
and back-end expiration-lot labeler, a
third for Data Matrix verifi cation, and
a fourth color vision system to check col-
or codes on the vials in packing trays be-
fore shrink wrapping, casing, and pallet-
izing. Each vision station provides a key
inspection and documentation step on
the way to FDA compliance.
SINGLE POINT OF CONTROLAn end-to-end audit trial for pharmaceutical produc-
tion and packaging is simplifi ed if the line has a single
point of operation and data I/O for all but operators
with management clearance and above, according to
Systech International regional sales manager Len Va-
leo. If the system has only one data I/O and control
point, the likelihood of operator error altering a sub-
system or resulting in lost data is greatly reduced.
Supervisory-control-and-data-acquisition systems
for industrial manufacturing and automation inher-
ently do not provide secure access or data tracking to 21
CFR levels. “About 75% of all pharmaceutical packag-
ing equipment is not compliant with 21 CFR Part 11,”
says Systech International regional sales manager Len
Valeo. “Placing our Advisor Line Management Soft-
ware on top of the Allen-Bradley PLC network enables
the equipment with a form of compliance.”
A secondary proprietary physical layer based on a CAN
network connects and secures all intelligent equipment
features, advantages, benefi ts
0712VSD_35 350712VSD_35 35 11/29/07 11:09:32 AM11/29/07 11:09:32 AM
Barcode 1tray
ADVISOR display(tray packer)
ADVISOR display(tray packer)
Camera Data MatrixCamera
OCVCamera
OCVColor
cameravial count
Barcode 2insert Barcode 3
insert
To shipping
Master5/05 PLC
ISXcomputer
Hub
RS-232
RS-232
Labelerlaser printer
Tray packerlaser printer
Conveyorbelt
EthernetCut-awaylabeler
(with PLC)
Expiration-lotlabeler
(with PLC)Tray packer(with PLC)
DiscreteI/O
DiscreteI/O
Shrink wrapper(with PLC)
Case packer(with PLC)
TIPS ADVISOR panel
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om36
Profi leIn Vision Solutions
on the line through a Systech TIPS LINK
proprietary cable and Vision Integration Kit
(VIK) I/O box attached to the PLC. Th e VIK
provides a high-bandwidth data channel to
the vision system, as well as access to the PLC
through an embedded Allan-Bradley indus-
trial Ethernet-compatible embedded chipset.
Th e high-bandwidth channel allows for low-
latency transmission of images from all three
machine-vision inspection stations to the Sys-
tech central ISX computer, which runs Sentri
vision software and associated image-process-
ing modules along with the Advisor super-
visory program and the main HMI for the
pharmaceutical production line. Th e ISX is
an industrial, Pentium-based PC with VIK
master card to access the Systech network and
Allan-Bradley SLC card to access the indus-
trial Ethernet PLC network.
To initiate a lot run, a supervisory-level
operator selects the production lot recipe
from a library of recipes stored on the ISX
central computer. Th e Advisor software
queries the operator for each relevant vari-
able (for example, lot size, expiration dates)
and initiates the production run. Advisor
sends out operational information to the
cut-out labeler, expiration/lot labeler, tray-
loading machine, smart barcode readers,
and associated vision inspection stations,
as well as resetting counters and relevant
settings for each PLC on the Allan-Brad-
ley network (see Fig. 1).
“Th e labeler and tray PLCs both have laser
printers, while the lot/expiration code print-
er uses a Lastec laser etching system,” ex-
plains Valeo. “If Advisor wasn’t sending the
information to these printers, the operator
would have to manually input the informa-
tion separately into each
machine, increasing the chances of errors.”
Valeo says customers can save upward of
$30,000 by eliminating the need for a com-
plete barcode reader system and HMI and
by using $5000 smart barcode readers from
Microscan or Accu-Sort directly integrated
to the Advisor program and HMI. Once
the operator initiates the lot, Advisor sends
a lock code to every intelligent machine
on the system so that variables cannot be
changed locally—with few exceptions.
SECURING THE UNSECUREDTh e majority of packaging equipment used
in pharmaceuticals is not 21 CFR compli-
ant, which means the entire line is not FDA
compliant. Th e cut-out labeler PLC, expira-
tion/lot-code printer PLC, tray PLC, and
shrink-wrap-palletizer PLCs are all con-
nected to the Allen-Bradley industrial
Ethernet network, but control is not se-
cure against local access. Recipes for each
machine’s operation are stored locally on
the PLC, which does not include the se-
curity levels required to ensure production
lot integrity based on 21 CFR standards.
However, the PLC can be programmed for
a variety of alarm codes.
Systech set aside a 1-bit alarm code based
on data accessed at the PLC. If the local
recipe is accessed, the alarm bit is set to its
highest level of 3. Th e Systech system has
full access to each PLC’s data via its con-
nection to the
A l l a n - B r a d -
ley industrial
Ethernet LAN.
When a Level
3 code is issued,
Advisor halts the line. It can only be re-
started by a management-level supervisor.
So while the actual changes to the recipe
cannot be guarded on the PLC, Advisor
does track who approved restarting the line
in response to a Level 3 PLC recipe access
event, providing the requisite audit trail
and making unsecured PLCs secure to 21
CFR levels (see Fig. 2).
KEY PRODUCTION STEPSAfter the operator initiates the operation
and inputs all values and each PLC and
vision system is programmed with the ap-
propriate procedure based on the stored
recipe in the Systech program, fi lled glass
vials enter the labeler station from an ac-
cumulator. A laser printer inside the la-
beler machine begins printing the cut-out
labels with the appropriate information,
and an image of each label is captured by
a Systech CCD-610 monochrome digi-
tal camera through a local trigger. Th e
camera is outfi tted with standard optics
and bandpass fi lter to reduce interference
from ambient light and focus on the il-
lumination from a nearby Systech LED-
RR01 red LED ringlight. Th e image is
transferred back through the VIK box to
the VIK master at the ISX host PC and
then passed into the PC memory where
the Systech OCV tool takes over.
If the label is passed by the Sentri in-
FIGURE 1. The Systech TIPS Advisor network for pharmaceutical production lies on top of the Allan-Bradley Ethernet network and uses minimal proprietary discreet runs, as well as the AB network, to communicate, initiate, secure, and control all equipment on the packaging line.
0712VSD_36 360712VSD_36 36 11/29/07 11:10:03 AM11/29/07 11:10:03 AM
The groundbreaking PHLOX technology sets apart from the others• Uniformity : up to ± 5 % on the
backlight• Luminance : up to 50 000 cd/m2• Heat free : a maximum
of 20°C/68°F, above room temperature for all our standard products, ensuring a longerlifetime
• Ultra slim : 8 mm - 0,315’’ thick• High protection : IP 65• Large sized (up to 600x600 mm)
and custom sized products also available at low cost and fastdelivery
• Energy saving and better efficiency
Further Bene ts :• 24 months warranty • Certificate of uniformity and
luminance provided with each product
• Seal of quality on each product
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 37
Profi leIn Industry Solutions
spection software, the labeler PLC ex-
tracts the label from the printed roll and
attaches it to the vial. A second printer
and monochrome vision system verify a
Data Matrix code, which is then also ap-
plied to the vial. Th e vial passes through the
labeler, and a smart barcode reader verifi es
a separate Code 128 dense barcode on the
label against the programmed recipe. Us-
ing multiple codes provides redundancy in
the operation.
Th e vial then enters the lot-code/expi-
ration-date laser printer, which etches the
lot code into the glass in the cut-out area.
A second OCV system verifi es the lot code
and expiration date (see Fig. 3).
Th e vial continues to the tray packer
PLC. A pair of barcode readers read the
Code 128 codes on the plastic tray and
plastic insert and record those data with the
lot information on the local PLC, which
is then passed to Advisor. Th e PLC places
vials in each of the tray’s holes and
places a colored dot on the top of
the vial that varies by recipe. When
the tray is fi lled, a Systech CCD-
645 megapixel color CCD camera
captures an image of the entire tray
from above and uses color thresh-
olding to identify each colored dot.
Th e dots are counted to verify the
tray is full and checked against the
color code included in the recipe.
Systech has a variety of color soft-
ware modules for its Sentri vision
systems for pharmaceutical produc-
tion. One interesting feature is the
ability to do 15-bit digital stacking
of each color to identify all RGB
color space values that are near to
the target color code. Th e color tool
creates a look-up table for each dot
based on nearby color extrapola-
tion. Th is allows the system to ac-
commodate slight changes in the
dot’s color without falsely rejecting
the vial. Also, the tool generates a
3-D RGB color space cub that can
show all colored labels used for lot
tracking. Th is allows the engineer
to verify that no colored dot can
be mistaken for another dot to its
proximity in color space.
After the color images are sent
back via VIK channel to the ISX comput-
er and passed, the Systech system sends a
signal for the PLC to pass the fi lled tray to
the shrink wrapper and robotic palletizer
for shipping to the customer.
FIGURE 3. Systech software for optical character verifi cation allows the system to read slightly distorted or skewed codes.
FIGURE 2. During 21 CFR testing to validate pharmaceutical production, the TIPs Advisor screen shows the operator a view of a factory acceptance test of vial-inspection packaging line.
Accu-Sort Systems, Telford, PA, USA www.accusort.comLasetec, Torrance, CA, USA www.fi ltec.comMicroscan, Renton, WA, USA www.microscan.comRockwell Automation (Allen-Brad-ley), Milwaukee, WI, USA www.rockwellautomation.comSystech International, Cranbury, NJ, USA www.systech-tips.comUS Food & Drug Administration, Rockville, MD, USA www.fda.gov
Com
pany
Info
0712VSD_37 370712VSD_37 37 11/29/07 11:10:29 AM11/29/07 11:10:29 AM
We offer the broadest spectrum of Machine Vision systems for allfields of application – from 1D/2D code readers to color sensors tosmart cameras to PC-based image processors. Wherever yourMachine Vision application takes you, we can help get you there.
Improve quality and productivity with SIMATIC sensors
For more information or to contact a sales representative, call,e-mail, or visit our web site.
©2
00
7 Siem
ens En
ergy & A
utom
ation, In
c.
Improve your quality with streamlined processesMachine Vision made simple
simatic
Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. • 1-800-964-4114 • ref. code VSD1107 • [email protected] • www.sea.siemens.com
0712VSD_38 380712VSD_38 38 11/29/07 10:52:58 AM11/29/07 10:52:58 AM
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 39
ProductFocus S M A R T C A M E R A S
Sensors tackle machine-vision applicationsVision sensors are closing the gap between traditional photoelectric sensors and more complex image-processing systems.
By Andrew Wilson , Editor
At Pack Expo in Las Vegas, NV,
USA (October 2007) this year,
one emerging trend that was ev-
ident was incorporating more
sophisticated machine-vision systems
into packaging and production systems.
But those expecting to see sophisticated
machine-vision systems integrating expen-
sive telecentric lenses, large-format cameras,
high-speed Camera Link frame grabbers,
and image-processing software would sure-
ly have been disappointed.
While many systems featured relatively
low-cost devices to read one- and two-di-
mensional (1-D and 2-D) barcodes, very
few used more costly components with
which to perform machine-vision tasks.
Th e reason, it seems, is multifold. Although
many packaging-system designers would
like to incorporate machine vision into
their systems, the expense of developing
and deploying such systems is prohibitive.
What developers are looking for is an inex-
pensive way to rapidly deploy single products
that perform simple functions such as pres-
ence detection, color analysis, and barcode
reading. Familiar with using low-cost pro-
grammable logic controllers (PLCs), system
integrators are now exploring the uses of smart
vision sensors to perform these functions with-
out the need to understand how to develop or
deploy machine-vision algorithms.
Of course, this trend is not new. One of
the fi rst companies to recognize the demand
for a low-cost way to solve relatively simple
machine-vision tasks was DVT, now part
of Cognex. Rather than develop simple bar-
code readers, DVT’s concept was to develop
FIGURE 1. Range of smart sensors now available differ in the types of imaging sensors used, the speed at which they operate, and the software support they offer: (a) Cognex Checker 200 Series,(b) Datalogic Matrix 400, (c) Banner’s PresencePLUS, (d) NI 1722, (e) Balluff Sharpshooter, and (f) Baumer Optronics VeriSens sensors.
a)
c) d)
b)
e)
f)
0712VSD_39 390712VSD_39 39 11/29/07 10:53:33 AM11/29/07 10:53:33 AM
VGA resolution(640 x 480 pixels)
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om40
ProductFocus on Smart Cameras
relatively inexpensive, compact, rug-
ged vision sensors that incorporated
the functions of a smart camera and
PLC. Th ese include an integrated im-
ager, memory, processor, Ethernet, and
digital I/O capability, along with the
company’s Intellect software that uses
an intuitive user interface and a library
of easy-to-confi gure vision tools.
For the packaging and production
industry, ease of mounting, industri-
al connectors, and integrated lighting
of smart sensors provided a way to
migrate from the limitations of pho-
toelectric sensors to provide addition-
al functionality with a moderate cost
increase. It is a concept that has been
further extended by Cognex in its lat-
est Checker 200 series (see Vision Sys-tems Design, June 2007, p. 22).
NEW PRODUCTS EMERGERealizing the success of these products,
other companies are now developing
similar smart vision sensors with diff er-
ent levels of sophistication (see table). In-
terestingly, these companies are emerging
from existing manufacturers of low-cost
barcode readers, companies known for
industrial control products, and existing
machine-vision vendors. While many of-
fer smart vision sensors fi rmly targeted to-
ward 1- and 2-D barcode reading, more
sophisticated machine-vision functions
are slowly being added to these products.
One thing is apparent when compar-
ing these products. Many of the techni-
cal hardware specifi cations are very simi-
lar. Nearly all of the smart sensors on the
market today off er integrated sensors, pro-
cessors, memory, digital I/O, networking
capability, and LED lighting. Even more
noticeable, the design of such products is
also strikingly similar to products origi-
nally developed by DVT (see Fig. 1).
Th e choice of which smart sensor to
use is fi rmly application-dependent. Th e
sensor size, frame rate, type of built-in
FIGURE 2. Smart sensors with 1280 × 1024 resolution deliver a larger fi eld of view without sacrifi cing resolution. Microscan MS-4 EZ Match can read barcoded test tubes or combinations of linear and 2-D symbols while capturing the height of the test tube and its cap for inspection
0712VSD_40 400712VSD_40 40 11/29/07 10:54:26 AM11/29/07 10:54:26 AM
www.stockeryale.com
MORE
POWER
• Uniform laser line generator• 1 W (infrared); 500 mW (red)• Focusable• High pointing stability• Operating temperature:
-20°C to +55°C
Lasiris™ PowerLine Laser
StockerYale Inc.Tel.: (514) 685-1005 Fax: (514) [email protected]: STKRCopyright ©2007 StockerYale Inc. All rights reserved.
Applications include:• Machine vision• High speed inspection• 3D profiling and mapping• Medical
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 41
ProductFocus on Smart Cameras
lenses, and lighting must be carefully con-
sidered. Perhaps more important, however,
developers should properly evaluate the soft-
ware that is supplied with the device. While
many smart sensor vendors off er families of
devices suited to diff erent types of applica-
tions, the software that is supplied with each
family of sensors remains consistent.
MORE THAN BARCODESBy embedding specifi c types of software in
their smart vision sensors, some manufactur-
ers can off er application-specifi c products such
as barcode/OCR/OCV readers. Others are
choosing to off er software development kits
to either allow companies to tailor the prod-
ucts for high-volume end users or for OEMs
to tailor these products for specifi c applica-
tions. At a more sophisticated level, graphical
user interfaces (GUIs) are available that allow
a developer to create host-based machine-vi-
sion applications and download them to the
smart sensor so that it can run autonomously
on a packaging or production line.
FIGURE 3. Several smart-sensor vendors offer PC-based software packages that use intuitive GUIs with which to confi gure the sensors: GUI software from (a) Banner Engineering, (b) NI, (c) Balluff, and (d) Baumer Optronics.
a) b)
c) d)
0712VSD_41 410712VSD_41 41 11/29/07 10:54:53 AM11/29/07 10:54:53 AM
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m42
ProductFocus on Smart Cameras
SMART SENSORS ATTACK MACHINE VISION APPLICATIONS
Company Product Interface SoftwareTechnical Specifi cations
Functions
Ascenticswww.asentics.de
BR510RS-232, Ethernet, digital I/O
Windows confi g software
659 x 494, white LED Barcode reading
Banner Engineeringwww.bannerengineering.com
Prescence-PLUS
Ethernet, serial, digital I/O
PresencePLUS software
Integrated LED lightingPattern-match, count, edge detection, Barcode reading
Balluff www.balluff.com
Sharp-Shooter
Ethernet, digital I/OConVis GUI software
640 x 480, integrated red LED
Presence/feature detection, dimensional verifi cation
Baumer Optronicwww.baumeroptronic.com
VeriSensUSB 2.0, digital I/O, RS485
PC-based apps suite
320 x 240 to 656 x 494, white or red LED
Industrial machine-vision applications
Cognexwww.cognex.com
Checker 200
Digital I/O, USBGraphical devel-opment system
Multicolor LEDsIndustrial machine- vision applications
InSight Series
Digital I/O, Ethernet, RS-232
Insight Explorer640 x 480 to 1600 x 1200
Industrial machine- vision applications
Datalogicwww.automation.datalogic.com
Matrix 400Digital I/O, RS-232, Ethernet
Vision library1.3 or 2M pixel ver-sions, 27 or 15 frames/s
Direct-part mark reading, 1- or 2-D symbologies
Diapoloushttp://diaplous.com
DMV02 Ethernet, digital I/O Embedded apps3M pixel imager, RISC processor, white LEDs
Pattern recognition, robot control
Microscanwww.microscan.com
MS-4 EZ Match
Digital I/O, RS-232 Push button 1280 x 1024Barcode reading, machine vision
National Instrumentswww.ni.com
NI 1722Digital I/O, Gigabit Ethernet
Vision Builder AI software
640 x 480, 60 frames/s, 400-MHz PowerPC, LED
Packaging inspection, assembly verifi cation, 1- and 2-D code reading
NI 1742Digital I/O, Gigabit Ethernet
Vision Builder AI software
640 x 480, 60 frames/s, 533-MHz PowerPC, LED
Packaging inspection, assembly verifi cation, 1- and 2-D code reading
Omronwww.omron247.com
ZFX Vision Sensor
Digital I/O, USB 2.0, RS-232
Programmable interface
468 x 432, white LEDsPattern, hue, area, with position matching
Panasonic Electric Workswww.pewa.panasonic.com
LightPix AE20
USB, digital I/O, RS-232
AE Software352 x 288, integrated white LED
Edge detection, color discrimination, pattern-matching
Rockwell Automationwww.rockwellautomation.com
48MS MultiSight
Ethernet, digital I/OPC confi guration software
640 x 480, I-integrated red, white LEDs
Presence, posiiton, marking detection
Siemenswww.acuitycimatrix.com
HawkEye 1525
RS-232, Ethernet, digital I/O
QuickSet confi guration
Integrated LED lighting
Barcode reading
HawkEye 1600T
RS-232, Ethernet, digital I/O
VisionScape40 x 480 or 1024 x 76830 or 60 fps, RISC processor
Industrial machine vision applications
Tattilewww.tattile.com
SmartReader MO
Digital I/O, Ethernet, RS-232
Vision library640 x 480, 200 frames/s, LED
OCR/OCV, barcode reading
Vision Componentswww.vision-components.com
VisiCube Digital I/O, Ethernet VCRT OS640 x 480, white and red LEDs, TI DSP, 32 frames/s
Industral machine- vision applications
Wenglorwww.wenglor.de
BS30V100 Digital I/O, RS-232 Teach pendant126 x 98 imager, 300 frames/s, red LED
Presence check, shape analysis, pixel comparison
BS40V101 Digital I/O, RS-232 Teach pendant640 x 480, 100 frames/s, white light
Sorting, size/control, good/bad part detection
0712VSD_42 420712VSD_42 42 11/29/07 10:55:23 AM11/29/07 10:55:23 AM
1-866-849-1662www.imperx.com
A Team of Cameraswith UnmatchedFlexibility andPerformance
“Proudly Made in the USA”
Company ProfileImperx is a recognized leading inno-
vator in the design and manufac-
ture of high-resolution industrial
interline transfer CCD cameras.With
their unmatched flexibility and field
upgradeable firmware, Imperx cam-
eras have become the choice of the
world’s top manufacturers for
industrial areas such as flat panel
inspection, medical, defense, aerial
mapping and recognizance as well
as many other demanding machine
vision applications. Imperx products
are designed and manufactured in
the U.S. with a software develop-
ment office in Moscow. Our prod-
ucts are offered through a world-
wide network of highly skilled, inde-
pendent sales and engineering
partners. Imperx is a proud member
of AIA, UKIVA and S.P.I.E.
Product Range
The Imperx Lynx line of cameras is
available in eight resolutions, includ-
ing high-speed VGA (640 x 480),
1MP (1k x 1k), 1.4MP (1384 x 1032),
2MP (1600 x 1200),2MP (1920 x 1080),
4MP (2k x 2k), 11MP (4000 x 2672)
and 16MP (4872 x 3248). Imperx
has also introduced thermo-electric
cooled cameras in three resolution
models (4, 11 and 16 MP) for
extremely high dynamic range and
long integration applications. All
cameras are available in either
monochrome or color. Output
choices are either Camera Link or
Gigabit Ethernet.
Camera Features
A powerful internal image-process-
ing engine utilizing a 1 or 2 million
gate FPGA (depending on resolu-
tion) with 32-bit RISC processor
gives our cameras extraordinary
performance and programmability.
A major distinguishing feature of all
Imperx cameras is the ability to be
upgraded in the field. This capabili-
ty allows us to work in partnership
with our customers to tailor a cam-
era specifically to their application,
in their workplace, with their equip-
ment. This approach helps our
clients move forward with new
products and systems in record
time, thereby reducing “engineer-
ing-in” time, cost and risk. Our
unparalleled feature set includes:
• Defective Pixel Correction
• Flat Field Correction
• Multiple 12-bit Look-Up-Tables
• Dynamic S/N correction
• 8, 10, or 12-bit output
• Area of Interest
• Vertical and Horizontal binning
• Long Integration
Markets Served
• Machine Vision
• Medical
• Semiconductor
• Flat Panel Inspection
• Web Inspection
• Aerial/Terrestrial sensing
• Traffic/Mobile Police Systems
• Military
• Microscopy
• Entertainment
• Motion Picture and Post Processing
For more information about our cutting-edge imaging solutions, visit our website at www.imperx.com.
“Cutting Edge Imaging Solutions”
0712VSD_43 430712VSD_43 43 11/29/07 10:55:46 AM11/29/07 10:55:46 AM
Standard and CustomDigital Cameras
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TELECENTRIC LENSES
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om44
ProductFocus on Smart Cameras
For example, at Pack Expo Datalogic
introduced two versions of its Matrix 400
smart sensor targeted directly toward direct-
part-mark reading of 1-D, 2-D stacked, and
postal symbologies. Two versions of the sen-
sor are available that feature either 1.3-Mpix-
el SXGA or 2-Mpixel UXGA sensors, inter-
nal LEDs, and adjustable C-mount lenses. A
multifunction pushbutton sets all relevant
functions such as aiming, focusing, auto-
matic imager calibration, and code setting.
Other manufacturers are realizing that
the embedded capabilities of smart sensors
allow them to be used for a wider range of
applications. Emerging from the highly com-
petitive barcode-inspection market, for exam-
ple, Microscan recently demonstrated how
its MS-4 EZ Match imager could be used
to perform more than barcode-recognition
functions.
Over the last four years, most array imagers
have read at VGA resolution (640 × 480) with
307,200 pixels. Th is has forced instrument de-
signers to choose between resolution and
fi eld of view. Megapixel imagers with
SXGA resolution (1280 × 1024), how-
ever, deliver a larger fi eld of view with-
out sacrifi cing resolution (see Fig. 2). So
the MS-4 EZ Match can read barcoded
test tubes or combinations of linear and
2-D symbols while capturing the height
of the test tube and its cap for inspection.
In operation, the imager can read and
decode both long linear and high-den-
sity 2-D symbols such as Data Matrix,
the status of the test tube’s position, the
presence or absence of a cap, the cap’s
diameter, and the tube height.
GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACESWhile vendors such as Microscan are mov-
ing toward off ering ever smarter vision sen-
sors, other manufacturers, notably Balluff ,
Banner Engineering, Baumer Optoelectronic,
Cognex, and National Instruments (NI), are
off ering more fully featured smart vision sen-
sors designed to perform a range of functions.
As well as off ering smart vision sensors, these
companies off er PC-based software packages
that use intuitive GUIs with which to confi g-
ure the sensor (see Fig. 3). Once confi gured,
the machine-vision program is downloaded
to the sensor so that it can operate autono-
FIGURE 4. Baumer Optronic VeriSens Series 1000 has been used to detect the correct alignment of blister packs and cardboard packaging.
0712VSD_44 440712VSD_44 44 11/29/07 10:56:13 AM11/29/07 10:56:13 AM
Mikrotron GmbHLandshuter Str. 20-22 • D-85716 Unterschleissheim
Tel.: +49 (0) 89-72 63 42-00 • Fax: +49 (0) 89-72 63 [email protected] • www.mikrotron.de
Special Electronics
Digital Slow MotionImage Processing
2,500 ASASupersensitive High Speed Camera
Don’t Bother About Light!The unprecedented light sensitivity of EoSens opens up new high speed potentials without
complex lighting.
n 1280 x 1024 CMOS Sensor
n Up to 500 Frames per Second @ Full Resolution
n Up to 120,000 Frames per Second
n Non-Linear Dynamic Range Adjustment
n Multi Pixel-Exposure for Indefi nite Light Conditions
n Camera Link® or GigE Vision® Interface
ProductFocus on Smart Cameras
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m
mously on a production line.
A good example is Banner Engineering’s
PresencePLUS series. Designed for those with
a minimal knowledge of machine vision, in-
spections are set up using a PC. Th e sensor cap-
tures images, and the PresencePLUS software
analyzes captured images using one or more
vision tools to pass or fail the product. After
the inspection fi les have been stored in the sen-
sor’s memory, the software can be run autono-
mously. Inspection setup involves focusing the
lens and selecting the appropriate analysis tools.
Because the sensor accommodates both trans-
lational and rotational variation, parts moving
down a production line or web need not be
oriented in exactly the same way.
Also at Pack Expo, SuperUser Solutions
demonstrated an integrated labeling and ver-
ifi cation system that speeds packaging pro-
duction using the PresencePLUS sensor for
the less-complex task of barcode inspection.
After confi guring the sensor to operate over
an Ethernet, discrete I/O and inspection
pass/fail information regarding each pack-
age barcode are transferred. After each label
is read, the barcode information is displayed
on an operator interface and is tied to a reject
mechanism or an alarm to alert the operator
of misread codes (see p. 13).
Like Banner Engineering, NI realized the
power of graphical-user-interface-based soft-
ware when it debuted two such vision sensors
developed for packaging inspection, assembly
verifi cation, 1- and 2-D code reading, and
motion guidance at NIWeek (August 2007;
Austin, TX, USA). With the combination of
a PowerPC processor, CCD imager, in-built
LED illumination, digital I/O, and a Gigabit
Ethernet interface, both the 1722 and 1742
smart cameras can run NI Vision Builder
for Automated Inspection or NI LabVIEW
Real-Time module and suite of vision algo-
rithms (see Vision Systems Design, October
2007, p. 74).
NI also demonstrated how they could be
used to sort and check colored bottles. In
this application, the smart sensors were in-
tegrated with PLCs, smart HMI interfaces
and the company’s CompactRIO program-
mable automation controller in a system that
sorted diff erent colored bottles and aligned
and inspected these labels for quality (see
Vision Systems Design, October 2007, p. 21).
In developing its Sharpshooter smart sen-
sor, engineers at Balluff realized the need to
off er a simple, easy-to-use GUI. Balluff of-
fers its own GUI software, known as Con-
Vis, that uses a step-by-step configuration
process to guide developers through sensor
setup. With a multiple image-viewing buf-
fer to identify a reference image for setup,
the PC-based ConVis software also oper-
ates as an emulator to allow projects to be
set up and tested off -line and then down-
loaded to the sensor over Ethernet.
Similarly, Baumer Optronic’s VeriSens
vision sensors use an application suite of
confi gurable software running on a PC or
laptop. Up to 32 features can be used for a
single inspection of a typical product or its
surrounding. Each product’s confi guration
and inspection parameters are stored within
one of the 255 supported jobs, which are se-
lected at runtime via digital input.
Recently, the company demonstrated
how the VeriSens Series 1000 ould detect
the correct alignment of blister packs and
cardboard packaging (see Fig. 4). First, three
horizontal and vertical positions are detected
by the sensor. Th e reference edge shown on
the left is estimated with two horizontal and
vertical search arrows. Th en the position and
orientation of this edge is compared with its
expected position. Finally, the vision sensor
checks the alignment of the blister pack with
respect to the reference edge. Process toler-
ances are determined by the length of the ar-
rows. Results are sent to the vision sensor’s
output, which is connected to a PLC.
Balluff, Florence, KY, USA www.balluff.com Banner Engineering Minneapolis, MN, USA www.bannerengineering.comBaumer Optoelectronic, Radeburg, Germanywww.baumeroptronic.comCognex, Natick, MA, USA www.cognex.comDatalogic, Hebron, KY, USA www.datalogic.comMicroscan, Renton, WA, USA www.microscan.comNational Instruments, Austin, TX, USA www.ni.com SuperUser Solutions, Bradford, PA, USA www.su-solutions.com
Com
pany
Info
0712VSD_45 450712VSD_45 45 11/29/07 10:56:41 AM11/29/07 10:56:41 AM
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E-mail your product announcements, with photo if available, to [email protected].
PRODUCTSVision+Automation
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 47
Vision-guided robot assembles small partsLR Mate 200iC/5H robot is designed for small-part assembly applications typically handled by SCARA-type robots. The fi ve-axis LR Mate 200iC/5H supports a variety of intelligent functions including an internal programmable controller, Ethernet, iRVision (built-in), force sensing, and the iPendant. The iRVision system is a ready-to-use robotic vision package, requiring only a camera and cable. It has a 2-D robot-guidance tool to accomplish part location, error proofi ng, and other operations that normally require special sensors or custom fi xtures. FANUC Robotics AmericaRochester Hills, MI, USAwww.fanucrobotics.com
Microscope measures without contactLSM 5 EXCITER laser scanning micro-scope system analyzes relatively soft materials such as polymers in a noncon-tact procedure with high accuracy and resolution. Users can visualize and mea-sure 2- and 3-D topographies, deter-mine roughness and waviness, and measure porosity and volume content. Additionally, the possibility of working in both refl ected and fl uorescent light expands the fl exibility of analytical tech-niques. The microscope’s StitchArt plus option allows for extra-long line profi les or image stack arrays that extend over more than 800 times the size of the scan fi eld to be captured automatically with variable overlapping areas. Carl Zeiss MicroImagingThornwood, NY, USAwww.zeiss.com/micro
Stepper/servomotion card gives controlPCI-8174 stepper and servomotion control card has an on-board DSP with motion ASIC for simplifi ed implementa-tion of time-critical motion sequences. The PCI-8174 can operate as a stand-alone controller by executing all pro-cesses in the hardware layer and can simultaneously execute a sequence via the motion ASIC without consum-ing CPU resources. It is for applications such as semiconductor front- and back-end equipment, TFT/LCD manufactur-
ing equipment, and electronic assem-bly and testing equipment. Features include high-frequency pulse output rates up to 6.55 MHz and software security protection.Adlink Technology Irvine, CA, USA www.adlinktech.com
Smart vision sensor has built-in touch screenZFX machine-vision sensor simplifi es automated inspection. It consists of a camera with intelligent lighting and a controller with built-in HMI. The ZFX programming environment uses a live color image for maximum accuracy in setup and monitoring. It can inspect up to 32 regions of interest with 360˚ rotational search in less than 28 ms. Onboard communication ports include RS-232C/RS-422, USB 2.0, and Ethernet. The controller for the ZFX has a built-in 3.5-in. TFT color LCD touch screen with stylus and is available in NPN or PNP output models.Omron Electronics Schaumburg, IL, USA www.omron247.com
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D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n w w w .v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m48
Vision + AutomationProducts
Small camera uses GigE interfaceGC2450 Gigabit Ethernet camera runs 15 frames/s at 2456 × 2048-pixel resolution over a GigE Vision-compliant interface. It uses a Sony 5-Mpixel ICX-625 progres-sive-scan CCD sensor with global elec-tronic shutter suitable for capturing high-speed motion events. Key features include programmable exposure controls, area-of-interest readout, advanced binning modes, 12-bit readout, asynchronous external trig-ger and sync I/O, autoiris control, and RS-232 peripheral port. The GC2450 does not require a frame grabber because it con-nects directly to the Gigabit Ethernet port on the host computer. The camera hous-ing measures 33 × 46 × 43 mm.Prosilica Vancouver, BC, Canadawww.prosilica.com
Positioning stages are compactCompact, single-rail positioning stages are lightweight, have a small footprint, and offer high acceleration up to 12 g, zero cogging, high resolution to 0.1 μm, high repeatability to ±1 μm, and load capacity to 25 kg. These high-speed linear motor stages are ideal for applications requiring high acceleration, high accuracy, repeat-ability, and reliability. For easy integration into new and existing applications the stages can be supplied vacuum compat-ible, custom mounting holes can be speci-fi ed, and the stages can be specifi ed as part of a complete motion-control system, H2W TechnologiesValencia, CA, USAwww.h2wtech.com
Color monitor assists in surgeryLMD-2450MD 24-in. fl at-panel LCD mon-itor from Sony is specifi cally designed for use in medical applications and deliv-ers precise color reproduction and high-brightness, high-contrast images using its superwide-aperture WUXGA LCD pan-els. The monitor utilizes Sony’s Chroma-TRU color-processing technology to pro-vide consistent color calibration. It also includes a second calibration so that white balance is maintained at consistent color temperatures throughout all gray-scale levels. Parallel and serial control (includ-
ing via Ethernet) are standard.Scientifi c Vision SystemsCarlsbad, CA, USA www.svsimaging.com
Camera is progressive-scanCCD-16000 VDS is a 16-Mpixel CCD cam-era based on a sensor within a 36 × 24-mm format. Readout is 2 images/s with 12-bit dynamics. The CCD-16000 has an RS-644 output that is pin-to-pin compat-ible to the company’s entire CCD series. Additional modules for IEEE 1394, Camera Link, and Gigabit Ethernet are available.VDS Vosskühler Osnabrück, Germanywww.vdsvossk.de
Controllers aid in harsh environmentsHE-1400 and HE-1600 Series controllers are designed to aid manufacturers build-ing hardened LCD display systems for military and industrial applications. Both
controllers feature wide-tolerance power supplies (12 Vdc ±25%), locking connec-tors, and low-mass tantalum capacitors for maximum tolerance to shock and vibration, Mil-spec silicon resin conformal coatings, laboratory-certifi ed operating temperature ranges of -40ºC to +80ºC, and calculated MTBF in excess of 150 K hours (HE-1600) and 200 K hours (HE-1400). Both are RoHS compliant. Acces-sories are available.Digital ViewMorgan Hill, CA, USA www.digitalview.com
Array delivers high-intensity light PresencePLUS sealed linear-array lights provide high-intensity lighting of large areas or objects at long distances with maintenance-free LED illumination. These high-power, solid-state arrays are
housed in a durable, waterproof, IP68-rated housing. They connect directly to 24-Vdc power; constant intensity and strobe control are built into the light. They are offered in models with infrared or visible red, blue, green, or white LEDs and with a choice of clear acrylic, glass, or acrylic diffusing windows. Banner Engineering Minneapolis, MN, USAwww.bannerengineering.com
Capture card is scalableMorphis DVR-16 is a scalable video-capture card with real-time multichannel compres-sion designed for digital video recorders. The Morphis DVR-16 captures from NTSC, PAL, RS-170, and CCIR video sources. It can record from 4 to 16 channels of compressed video and audio. Each channel supports motion, blind and night detection, as well as detection of video loss. The hardware engine can perform real-time compression in MJPEG and MPEG-4 formats. The dis-play overlay also supports region blanking. Software support is available for Microsoft Windows XP and consists of the Matrox Imaging Library (MIL)/ActiveMIL or MIL-Lite/ActiveMIL-Lite development toolkits. Matrox Imaging Dorval, QC, Canadawww.matrox.com/imaging
Camera delivers high frame rates Falcon 1.4M100, a 1.4-Mpixel area camera, delivers 100 frames/s at full resolution in an ultracompact body. Fully programma-ble via Base mini-Camera Link, the Falcon 1.4M100 incorporates exposure control, windowing, gain and offset adjustment, and fl at-fi eld correction. Ease of use is enhanced through direct camera control using the company’s CamExpert point-and-click graphical user interface and the ability
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w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 49
Vision + AutomationProducts
to transmit data with 10-m-long mini-Camera Link cables. Other features include 7.4 × 7.4-μm pixel pitch, 2 × 80-MHz data rates, and a dynamic range of 57 dB.DALSA Waterloo, ON, Canada www.dalsa.com
Camera delivers high resolutionFastcam MC1 high-speed camera is designed for production-line fault fi nding and process control. The small remote-head camera, fi tted with a C-mount lens adaptor, delivers 2000 frames/s at full resolution and up to 10,000 frames/s at reduced resolution. The head connects to a compact processor unit via a fl exible, shielded 7-m camera cable, allowing for easy placement into confi ned spaces. The Fastcam MC-1 is available with an optional remote keypad with a built-in 5-in. LCD via the RS-422 connector. Fastcam Viewer soft-ware is included. Power supply is 24 Vdc.Photron San Diego, CA, USAwww.photron.com
Viewer works without PCSensorView 35 is a compact, industrial, color panel-mount viewer for Checker 200 Series inspec-tion sensors. It allows operators to view production statistics and inspection im-ages without connecting to a PC. SensorView 350 features a simple interface for displaying images of passed or failed parts, along with status indicators and results statistics to more easily monitor the production process. Cognex Natick, MA, USAwww.cognex.com
Microscope views still or videoMSX-500Di is a small, lightweight, 2.11-Mpixel digital CCD micro-scope that features an integrated 3.5-in. TFT LCD monitor and SD card fl ash memory storage The microscope incorporates a CCD imaging system and adjustable high-intensity LED lighting to de-liver sharp, well-lit images from 1X to 500X magnifi cation with-out changing lenses. The proprietary LED lighting is arranged in two concentric rings. By selecting combinations of the LED arrays in the inner and outer rings subject lighting can be optimized so that features can be highlighted or unwanted refl ections elimi-nated. A freeze button allows switching between still images and video mode.Moritex EuropeCambridge, UKwww.moritex.com
0712VSD_49 490712VSD_49 49 11/29/07 10:59:16 AM11/29/07 10:59:16 AM
www.mi-OWNED & PRODUCED BY:
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0712VSD_50 500712VSD_50 50 11/29/07 10:59:49 AM11/29/07 10:59:49 AM
Always a new perspective!
CCD and CMOS IEEE1394.a camera
series - all you need is rich variety
42 cameras with resolutions from
WVGA to 3MP acc. IIDC v 1.31
specifi cations
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Vision + AutomationProducts
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m
Embedded computers are compactARK-1000 series compact embedded computers are powerful all-in-one fan-less systems designed for rugged and space-critical applications in automation control. A solid, sealed-aluminum case
provides vibration and water resistance and functions as a passive cooling solu-tion. The ARK-1000 computers feature AMD Geode to Intel Core Duo proces-sors, along with fl exible storage and con-nectivity, from multiple Gigabit Ethernet and COM ports to wireless connectivity. The systems can be mounted inside ma-chinery or other equipment, or they can be stand-alone, wall-mounted, DIN-rail mounted, or VESA mounted. The series accepts a range of power supplies.Advantech Irvine, CA, USAwww.advantech.com
Operating system for smart camerasThe 5.26 version of the real-time operat-ing system VCRT can be used to update VC2xxx, VC4xxx, VCSBC4xxx, and Visi-Cube smart cameras. It features upgrades such as improved read and write perfor-mance on SD memory cards, higher up-load speed for the FTP server, faster tim-ing for the TCP/IP stack, speed-optimized memory allocation, automatic event con-nection, and an increased number of events. Additionally, the display can be switched off in VC4038 cameras and up-ward, and emulator debugging is possi-ble with relocatable programs. Registered customers can download the operating system from the company’s Web site.Vision Components Ettlingen, Germanywww.vision-components.com
Board connects cameras CL-500, a Camera Link mezzanine board for the company’s StreamStor Amazon
high-speed recording system, provides connectivity for one to two cameras at data rates up to 500 Mbytes/s. It offers high-speed and long-duration recording capability required when shooting high-resolution and/or high-frame-rate digital video. The Camera Link mezzanine board provides support for nearly any Camera Link Full, Medium, or Base confi guration. The board is priced at less than $4000.Conduant Longmont, CO, USAwww.conduant.com
Sensor is multifunctionalSharpshooter combines CMOS-sensor-based vision capability, LED lighting, and photoelectric sensor design simplicity and provides reliable error proofi ng and
quality inspection. Sharpshooter can re-place up to 32 sensors in an error-proof-ing process and can take the place of up to seven different discrete or analog sen-sor functions. It provides reliable part or feature presence/absence, position detec-tion, and dimensional verifi cation. BalluffFlorence, KY, USAwww.balluff.com
Objectives increase magnifi cationOptimized for use with Optem zoom and FMOS lenses and A-Zoom2 automated microscopes, the family of Optem infi n-ity-corrected objectives is an alternative to Mitutoyo objectives. Optem’s fi eld-proven high-resolution objectives are designed to deliver increased magnifi cation for those applications requiring maximum resolution while maintaining 34–13-mm working dis-
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www.aostechnologies.com www.axtel.com
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n w w w .v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m52
Vision + AutomationProducts
tances. Optem objectives can be mounted onto A-Zoom2 microscopes, as well as the Optem FMOS CCD lens family.Qioptic Imaging SolutionsFairport, NY, USAwww.qiopticimaging.com
DSP supports imaging systemsTMS320C6452 digital signal processor (DSP) is designed to optimize price and performance for multichannel infrastruc-ture and medical imaging systems. Based on the enhanced TMS320C64x+ core, the C6452 DSP delivers double the L1 cache memory and 40% more L2 cache than the C6415T. The C6452 DSP also includes two Gigabit Ethernet MAC ports and one Gigabit switch, which improves the effi -ciency of multichip designs by automati-cally monitoring the data stream. Texas Instruments Dallas, TX, USAwww.ti.com
Motion capture out of the boxFLEX:V100 camera is an integral part of the company’s Foundation Package, which features ARENA motion-capture software
that allows a single user to create advanced motion-capture sequences, work with the data, and export in popular formats such as BVH, C3D, and real-time MotionBuilder. The B&W CMOS imager can capture 100 frames/s in the integrated image capture and processing camera.Natural PointCorvallis, OR, USAwww.NaturalPoint.com
Surveillance system is smallADAMANT IR camera is a compact, ther-mal surveillance system featuring a 640 × 512 MCT, 15-μm pitch FPA packaged in a fully mil-spec, marine-qualifi ed en-closure weighing 9 kg. The triple fi eld-of-view lens features a 21.7° × 17.5° FOV, a medium-range 6.9° × 5.5° FOV, and a narrow 1.7° x 1.4° FOV, enabling detec-
tion of a tank-sized target at 16 km. The system is designed for fi xed-position sur-veillance, passive observation, detection, and recognition of targets. ADAMANT can be delivered with Ethernet or opti-cal-fi ber output, allowing remote control and video display over long distances. Cedip Infrared SystemsCroissy-Beaubourg, Francewww.cedip-infrared.com
Camera is for industrial applicationsPhantom Miro cameras are compact, lightweight, and rugged cameras tar-geted at industrial applications ranging from vehicle crash testing to automated assembly-line manufacturing processes. The Miro 1, the entry-level camera in the Miro family, can take images with resolu-tion up to 640 × 480 pixels at any of eight fi xed-frame rates, ranging from 50 to 500 frames/s. The Miro 2 gives users the ad-ditional ability to control key camera pa-rameters such as frame rates and shutter speeds in increments of one unit. Vision ResearchWayne, NJ, USAwww.visionresearch.com
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PROMON HD High Speed Image Streaming• High speed image streaming
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minutes (@ 200 fps and VGA)• Powerful yet simple to
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for system integrators, or as complete ready-to-use systems
Machine Vision ExpressTM is a Development Studio to create, debug and simulate Machine Vision Applications.
Included are a Library with OCR, Pattern Matching, Barcode Rec-ognition and three program-ming languages: GUI, Python and C++. Each language accom-modates individual preferences, from simple drag and drop, to Python based scripting, as well as complex C++ programming.
Applications run on PCs and Axtel cameras with PC-InsideTM.
Machine Vision ExpressTM enables computers to “see” like a human.
0712VSD_52 520712VSD_52 52 11/29/07 11:00:51 AM11/29/07 11:00:51 AM
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P R O D U C T S H O W C A S E
www.vision-sensors-illuminators.com
www.zeiss.com/optics
Telecentric VISIONMES LensesPrecise measuring results inde-pendent from proportions gain more and more signifi cance in many fi elds of industrial mea-suring technology and auto-mated processes. Quality mea-suring techniques – telecentric Visionmes lenses offer almost distortion-free imaging for these complex requirements. Visionmes lenses are available for camera systems with 1/3’’- and 1⁄2’’-, 2/3’’- and 1’’ CCD sensors.
SVS2 – The easy way to machine visionThe DATASENSOR SVS2 series of smart vision sensors is able to solve artifi cial machine vision problems in a fl exible and intui-tive manner. The sensor is con-fi gured using a simple PC soft-ware and works standing alone.
• Wizard Based PC Software • Ethernet communication • 360° Pattern Match • Integrated lens and lighting • 8-bit 640 x 480 CMOS sensor • Up to 60fps
www.basler-vc.com
Basler runner – GigE Vision Line Scan Camera SeriesThe runner camera series features seven new line scan models with either 1024 or 2098 pixels and a range of line rates up to 59 kHz. The pre-mier member of the runner series is a tri-linear CCD color line scan camera that builds on the success of Basler’s extreme-ly popular L301kc.
www.edt.com
EDT’s PCIe DV C-Link high resolution image capture card uses the increased bandwidth of PCI Express to take high performance image acquisition to a new level.
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Digital Network Vision, LLC405 Waltham Street #304
Lexington, MA 02421-7934 USAvoice/fax: (781) 577-9585
0712VSD_53 530712VSD_53 53 11/29/07 1:20:12 PM11/29/07 1:20:12 PM
P R O D U C T S H O W C A S E
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n w w w .v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m54
www.vision-components.com
Fast, intelligent color image processing: VC4465 from Vision ComponentsThe new color sensor version of the intelligent high-performance camera VC4465, which can be used in a wide range of new ap-plications. The Smart Camera’s key component is a 1 GHz pro-cessor from TI with a comput-ing power of 8,000 MIPS. The cameras feature a 1⁄2” CCD sen-sor with a 768 × 582 pixel resolu-tion which provides a maximum frame rate of 55 fps.
www.zeiss.com/optics
ZF LensesOutstanding image quality, manual focusing and a longlife all-metal barrel. These features guarantee unprecedented im-ages for industrial applications. High resolution optics and in-variable colour rendering with all models offer reliable and objective measuring results. With the new ZF-I series, Carl Zeiss has launched a line of high-quality lenses which are optimized for the challenging tasks in industrial applications.
www.norpix.com
Multi camera recording systemStreamPix 4 is a multi camera digital video recording software package. Acquire direct to disk in uncompressed format from 4 cameras at 200 fps × 640 × 480. Compatible with various trig-ger modes and prepost module for saving disk space. Solutions available with portable or desk-top computers. Camera frame rate can vary from 100 to 1000 frames per second, check with NorPix for available options.
www.optikos.com
I-SITE: For Imager Test and Evaluation Optikos offers I-SITE, an inte-grated E-O testing suite that can measure thermal/visible/intensifi ed imagers, uncooled/cooled FLIR cameras, focal plane imaging arrays, direct-view thermal, and I2 sights. I-SITE systems support the fol-lowing electro-optical mea-surements: MTF, NETD, SiTF, NPS, MRTD, MDTD, 3D noise and more. Contact us today to discuss your electro-optical testing needs.
GigE over Fiber by PleoraPleora’s iPORT FB1000-CL IP En-gine delivers high-performance, fi ber-based GigE connections between Base-confi guration Camera Link cameras and PCs.• Cost-effective• Very long distance• Optical isolation• Extends capabilities of exist-
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www.opto-engineering.com
The TELECENTRIC KIT CASE is a selection of telecentric optics with FOV ranging from 16 mm up to 64 mm. A colli-mated light source and a clamp-ing fl ange are included.
This tool is indicated for:• Prototyping• Feasibility Studies• Demo System Set-Up• Educational Activities
and for all those who want to explore the advantages of a telecentric lens.
OPTO ENGINEERINGTHE TELECENTRIC COMPANY
Email:[email protected]: 514-907-1588
0712VSD_54 540712VSD_54 54 11/29/07 11:24:34 AM11/29/07 11:24:34 AM
w w w . v i s i o n - s y s t e m s . c o m V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 55
AdvertisersIndex
This ad index is published as a service. The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.
Sales Offi cesNORTH AMERICA
PublisherKathy Bush(603) 891-9434 FAX: (603) 891-0574E-mail: [email protected]
USA/East, Eastern CanadaJudy Leger(603) 891-9113 FAX: (603) 891-0574E-mail: [email protected]
USA/West, Western CanadaBill Healey(415) 247-8200 FAX: (415) 247-8240E-mail: [email protected]
Product Showcase Judy Leger(603) 891-9113 FAX: (603) 891-0574E-mail: [email protected]
ReprintsMary Donnelly(603) 891-9398 E-mail: [email protected]
Internet Sales ManagerSue McAdam (603) 891-9213E-mail: [email protected]
List Rental Sales ManagerBob Dromgoole(603) 891-9128E-mail: [email protected]
Ad Services ManagerJames Kirkland(918) 832-9217 FAX: (918) 831-9415E-mail: [email protected]
EUROPE
France, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, West Switzerland, GreeceLuis Matutano, Paris33-(1) 1 39 66 16 87 FAX: 33- (1) 39 23 84 18E-mail: [email protected]
Germany, Austria, Northern Switzerland, Eastern EuropeJohann Bylek, Munich49 (89) 904 80 144 FAX: 49 (89) 904 80 145E-mail: [email protected]
UK, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, NorwayAmanda Loftus44-1793-862111 FAX: 44-1793-862110E-mail: [email protected]
ASIA
Hong Kong, ChinaAdonis Mak852-2-838-6298 FAX: 852-2-838-2766E-mail: [email protected]
IsraelDan Aronovic, Tel Aviv972-(9) 899-5813 FAX: 972-(9) 899-5815E-mail: [email protected]
JapanManami Konishi81-3-3556-1575 FAX: 81-3-3556-1576E-mail: [email protected]
KoreaPaek Kwon, Seoul82-2-420-1293 FAX: 82-2-420-1294E-mail: [email protected]
SingaporeGrace Leung65-6836-2272 FAX: 65-6735-9653E-mail: [email protected]
TaiwanAnita Chen886-2-8751-5162 FAX: 886-2-8751-8861E-mail: [email protected]
Advertiser Page no.
Vision Systems Design, Vol. 12 No. 12, Copyright 2007 (ISSN-1089-3709) is published 12 times a year, monthly, by PennWell Corp., 1421 S. Sheridan, Tulsa OK 74112. Subscription rate in the USA: 1 yr. $85, 2 yr. $145, 3 yr. $175, Back Issue $10, Buyers Guide $35; Canada: 1 yr. $100, 2 yr. $175, 3 yr. $215, Back Issue $12, Buyers Guide $40; elsewhere via Int’l Air: 1 yr. $115, 2 yr. $200, 3 yr. $255, Back Issue $14, Buyers Guide $45. Digital edition $45 yr.SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES: (847) 559-7520 7:30 AM – 6 PM CST. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK 74112 and additional mailing offi ces.
POSTMASTER: Send change of address form to Vision Systems Design, PO Box 3285, Northbrook, IL, USA 60065-3285. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, ON, Canada L2E 6S4.PRINTED IN THE USA GST NO. 126813153 Publications Mail Agreement No. 1421727
Aegis Electronic Group Inc. 40
Alacron Inc. C3
Allied Vision Technologies 27
AOS Technologies AG 52
Arvoo 21
Axtel Inc. 52
Basler AG 10, 53
Carl Zeiss AG 53, 54
Chunghwa Telecom Laboratories 23
Computer Modules Inc. 53
DALSA 28-29
Datasensor SpA 53
Digital Network Vision 53
Edmund Optics 7
EDT 53
Euresys 24
illunis 44
IMI North America 41
Imperx Inc. 43
JAI 19
LMI Technologies 12
Matrox Imaging C4
Mikrotron GmbH 45
MVTec Software GmbH C2, 6
National Instruments 1
Navitar Inc. 30
NET New Electronic Technology GmbH 51
NorPix 54
Optikos 54
Opto Engineering 44
Panasonic Medical Vision 17
Phlox 37
Pleora Technologies Inc. 54
Point Grey Research 8
Prosilica 15
SICK/IVP 4
Siemens Energy & Automation 38
Sill Optics GmbH & Co. KG 22
SPIE 20
Stemmer Imaging GmbH 11
StockerYale Inc. 41
Tamron USA Inc. 33
The Imaging Source Europe GmbH 2
Vision Components 49, 54
W. L. Gore & Associates 31
INTERNATIONAL
NeuroCheck GmbH 16
0712VSD_55 550712VSD_55 55 11/29/07 11:24:56 AM11/29/07 11:24:56 AM
D e c e m b e r 2 0 0 7 V i s i o n S y s t e m s D e s i g n www.v i s i o n - s y s t em s . c om56
My Viewby Andy Wilson
E D I T O R
Blue rinse groupMachine vision looks more like a bargain when
it’s viewed as another helping hand.
It’s always good to save money. And with
this in mind, I decided that I would fl y
to October’s Pack Expo show in Las
Vegas, NV, using a “vacation package”
from Southwest Airlines. For a cost of less
than $600, the airline fl ew me from Man-
chester, NH, and back, booked me three
nights in the Circus Circus hotel/casino/re-
sort, and gave me complimentary passes to
a day trip to the Hoover Dam.
Upon boarding the aircraft, I discovered
that “Blue Man Group” was playing at the
Venetian Resort for a price of just $70. Along
with the Hoover Dam trip, this was an event
I would never attend.
Looking around the aircraft passengers, it
appeared many of them were of the “blue
rinse” group—people aged 65 and older
who were on a similar low-cost trip destined
for Las Vegas. Why anyone would want to
go to a town reputed to have been founded
by gangsters in the middle of the desert still
amazes me, but I was later to fi nd out. Af-
ter interviewing several passengers on the
aircraft and at the hotel I discovered the
reason. It was very inexpensive.
While some companies attending Pack
Expo had booked their employees into
$200/night hotels (some taking hundreds
of their customers to Las Vegas entertain-
ment), I was stuck in Circus Circus with
the blue rinse group, where the average cost
of a room is $60. On refl ection, perhaps
this was not one of my wisest decisions. Af-
ter battling though a myriad of slot ma-
chines, I went to bed.
Th e next day, I decided to take a cab
to Pack Expo. In more than fi ve halls,
most the size of two baseball fi elds, nearly
every packaging company in North Amer-
ica displayed products and machines that
produce, fi ll, label, wrap, and inspect bot-
tles, paper packages, and plastic containers.
With more than 2000 exhibitors and more
than 20,000 attendees, the show was, like
Las Vegas itself, over-the-top, outrageous,
and extreme.
Although my trusty companion, Judy
Leger, could not attend the trip, she had
supplied me with a list of companies to vis-
it. Without it, I would have been lost. In
the space of three days, I managed to vis-
it about 20 companies that incorporate or
produce machine-vision products used in
the packaging and production industries.
Many of these systems can be found in this
issue of Vision Systems Design.
Traversing the show fl oor, I also had the
opportunity to visit companies that simply
had not embraced the concept of adding
machine vision to their production equip-
ment. While many produce machinery
that manufactures, wraps, and fi lls specif-
ic products, very few—in fact fewer than
20—were exhibiting machines that provide
any kind of inspection of the fi nished prod-
uct. It all seemed rather odd.
On the last day of the show, I sat at our
tiny booth contemplating the subject. I was
then approached by an engineer who need-
ed to perform web inspection of wrapped
fi lm traveling at 400 ft/min. He had been
quoted a price by a system integrator of
$20,000 for a system that could accom-
plish the task. He felt that the price was
far too high. He wanted something for less
than $15,000.
After I explained that the cost of
linescan cameras, Camera Link frame
grabbers, lighting, and software would
probably be about $15,000, and nonre-
curring engineering costs would be at
least $15,000 for his application, he left
our booth rather amazed. I could not help
wondering, however, whether the bill for
his trip to Pack Expo would be more than
$2000. Perhaps those who need to ex-
pense machine-vision systems need a dif-
ferent model.
As Preben Hjornet, chief technology of-
fi cer at InMoTx (Sacramento, CA, USA),
suggested to me, “Engineering manag-
ers should perhaps regard any automat-
ed system, whether it uses a robot or oth-
er automated equipment, as an employee
rather than a machine. Th at way, the ma-
chine would not be regarded as a capital
expense.” Until that happens, however,
many in the packaging industry will still
regard machine vision as an expense they
cannot aff ord.
0712VSD_56 560712VSD_56 56 11/29/07 10:57:13 AM11/29/07 10:57:13 AM
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