Advantages of Machine Vision for Industry

With the advent of Industry 4.0, machine vision for industry has become increasingly essential in the field of smart manufacturing. How does machine vision technology work, and why is it the right choice for process automation and quality improvement? This article will explain it all.

Machine vision for industry is an interdisciplinary field encompassing artificial intelligence, neurobiology, psychophysics, computer science, image processing, and pattern recognition. It primarily involves using computers to simulate human visual functions, extracting information from images of objects, processing and understanding it, and ultimately applying it for real-world inspection, measurement, and control tasks. The key advantages of machine vision are its high speed, large information capacity, and versatile functionality.

What is Machine Vision for Industry?

Machine vision for industry uses optical non-contact sensing devices to automatically capture and interpret images of real-world scenes to acquire information for controlling machines or processes.

Essentially, machine vision involves extracting information from digital images to control processes or inspect products. To better illustrate this concept, let's consider a beer filling level inspection system used in a brewery:

As each beer bottle moves past an inspection sensor, the sensor triggers the vision system to emit a strobe light and capture an image of the bottle. After the image is acquired and stored in memory, the vision software processes and analyzes it to determine the actual fill level of the bottle. Based on this analysis, the system provides a pass or fail response. If a bottle fails the inspection, indicating an improper fill level, the system signals a diverter to remove the defective bottle from the production line. Operators can view the rejected bottles and ongoing process statistics on a display screen.

In addition to fill level inspection, machine vision systems can perform precise measurements, such as determining spark plug gaps or providing position data to guide robots during assembly processes.

Advantages of Machine Vision for Industry

While human vision excels in the qualitative interpretation of complex, unstructured scenes, machine vision is superior in its speed, accuracy, and repeatability for quantitative measurements in structured environments. For example, on a production line, machine vision systems can inspect hundreds or even thousands of components per minute. With appropriately chosen cameras and optical elements, machine vision systems can easily detect minute details that are invisible to the human eye.

Furthermore, since machine vision systems eliminate direct contact between the inspection system and the components being inspected, they prevent product damage and minimize the downtime and cost associated with mechanical wear and tear. By reducing human involvement in the manufacturing process, machine vision also enhances safety and operational efficiency.

Additionally, machine vision systems help prevent contamination in cleanroom environments and protect workers from hazardous conditions. The numerous advantages of machine vision make it an invaluable tool for quality assurance and process automation in modern industrial applications.