FEATURE Machine Vision
SMBs can have automated machine vision systems, too
Lacking the technical and financial resources of big enterprises, small- to medium-sized businesses might think that machine vision is not a viable option for them, because they believe automating quality assurance is complex and expensive. Here, Ofer Nir, CEO of Inspekto, explains why autonomous machine vision represents a new era of industrial quality inspection, making automatic quality assurance a viable and cost-effective option for SMBs, too
S
mall- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are facing growing challenges. Smaller production lots, frequent line
changeovers and increased competition are demanding greater effi ciencies, agility and productivity. The growing diffi culty to acquire skilled workers for quality assurance (QA) positions is creating another challenge in this fast-paced environment. This is why many small to medium manufacturers are moving toward automating production. Quality inspection must be automated as well, to ensure that it is not a limiting factor in manufacturers’ ability to automate end to end, become more effi cient and agile, and thus more competitive. Current QA solutions are of limited use to small manufacturers, because traditional machine-vision projects are typically complex, long and expensive to set up and train, and rigid and tailored to the specifi c part in production. On the other hand, SMBs are known to off er versatility and agility, which means constant diversifi cation in the parts they produce or assemble. The result is that manual inspection is still the preferred QA method in many SMBs.
Autonomous machine vision Automating QA processes with a machine vision system is cost-eff ective, easy to set up and train, and fl exible enough to tackle various challenges. An eff ective QA solution also needs to be generic and universal, to easily and quickly inspect a wide range of parts with fl exibility between parts and locations. The INSPEKTO S70 Gen.2, the only Autonomous Machine Vision (AMV) system currently on the market, off ers all of these characteristics. Unlike traditional machine-visions solutions, which are normally developed specifi cally for a company, the S70 Gen.2 is an off -the-shelf solution that includes everything the user
28 December/January 2022 | Automation
needs – camera, lighting equipment, PC, mounting system, software, and more. It is ready to use and can inspect a very wide range of products made of various materials, and produced through many diff erent manufacturing and assembly processes. It can be used at diff erent production steps or at the end of a line, and can be installed as a standalone station or integrated in the production line. Mimicking cognitive human vision and using the most advanced AI technology, the system can detect defects by being exposed to an average of only twenty “OK” (good) samples and requires no “NOK” (defective) samples. AMV systems learn how a product is supposed to look, and based on their strong AI capabilities and millions of previous data entries can fl ag any deviation from the memorised image, leading to two main benefi ts: One, the AMV systems can detect a wide range of defects – even unknown and unexpected ones – and not just those they’ve been trained to recognise, and, two, the setup is extremely simple because it requires only good items, which are predominant in any production line. The whole setup process can be performed by the plant’s own personnel in as little as 45 minutes, making AMV systems perfect for automating QA processes.
QA for small batches Historically, the cost and complexity of machine-vision solutions meant that manufacturers needed high production volumes or very expensive products to justify the purchase of these systems. However, the cost-eff ectiveness of AMV systems makes them ideal for small production runs and production lines that are frequently modifi ed and reconfi gured. Because of their ability to retrain quickly and easily, AMV systems off er manufacturers unlimited fl exibility. To inspect a new product, the user simply needs to repeat the initial setup procedure and create a new profi le. There is no need to adjust the lighting apparatus, change any of the sensors or adjust the camera settings. As the name suggests, Autonomous Machine Vision systems autonomously adjust the parameters of the electro-optical system to fi t the new location, environment and product.
AMVs off er SMBs substantially
increased production quality and have a positive impact on their bottom line.
CONTACT:
Inspekto
www.inspekto.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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