MACHINE VISION

Machine vision (MV) is the technology and methods used to provide imaging-based automatic inspection and analysis for such applications as automatic inspection, process control, and robot guidance, usually in industry. Machine vision is a term encompassing a large number of technologies, software and hardware products, integrated systems, actions, methods and expertise. Machine vision as a systems engineering discipline can be considered distinct from computer vision, a form of computer science. It attempts to integrate existing technologies in new ways and apply them to solve real world problems. The term is also used in a broader sense by trade shows and trade groups; this broader definition also encompasses products and applications most often associated with image processing.

The need for safer, more reliable and robust automobiles to justify price points is pushing automakers to adopt machine inspection. And Machine Vision (MV) helps them fulfil this need by providing an automated internal machine inspection method.

And Automotive was one of the earliest industries to have adopted MV to carry out its imaging-based automatic inspection and analysis for automatic inspection, process control, and robot guidance. Also termed “computer vision,” MV is a mother lode of a large number of high-end technologies, software and hardware products, integrated systems, and of course, expertise.

This technology works as the eye of the automotive production process using imaging processes including conventional imaging, hyperspectral imaging, infrared imaging, line scan imaging, 3D imaging of surfaces, and X-ray imaging.

Smart camera or smart sensors with frame grabbers are used along with interfaces such as Camera Link to record or capture images of the surface to be inspected. Digital cameras capable of direct connections to a computer via FireWire, USB or Gigabit Ethernet interfaces are also used by several companies. These cameras capture images of the surface of the automobile component to be inspected (say, the body or fins of an engine). And these images are then analysed and processed by specialized analysis software, which mostly use the principle of Finite Element Analysis in their working. MV helps automakers save money, justify price points and emerge as strong competitors.

The primary uses for machine vision are imaging-based automatic inspection and sorting and robot guidance. The overall process includes planning the details of the requirements and project, and then creating a solution.