There’s no doubt that automation and machine vision are game-changers for manufacturers. But how do you ensure that your next vision solution is a success? That’s where a skilled integrator comes in. They possess the knowledge and expertise to unlock the full potential of your vision system.

 

To maximise your ROI and achieve higher yield, it’s crucial to pay close attention to technical specifications during the implementation process. The right integrator will understand the importance of factors such as lighting, lens selection, and processing speeds, ensuring that your vision system performs optimally and delivers the results you need.

 

What are you trying to achieve?

 

Knowing what you want to achieve is key to designing a successful vision system. Are you looking to inspect a specific feature or catch defects on a product line? Do you need to automate a certain process or prevent safety hazards? 

 

Understanding your goals and requirements is essential to selecting the appropriate vision system and components.

 

Once the goals have been established, the technical specifications can be determined. The vision system may need to read text or codes, identify anomalies or errors, or check for the presence or absence of certain parts. Your integrator should work with you to establish a tolerance for a pass/fail outcome that ensures accuracy and consistency. By understanding what you are trying to achieve, you can work with your integrator to develop a tailored solution that meets your specific needs and maximises your ROI.

 

How much does a mistake cost?

 

Making mistakes in quality control can have significant repercussions for any manufacturing business. Faulty parts or unreadable codes can result in costly recalls, damage to the brand’s reputation, and even legal action. Do you know the true cost of not automating the process? By understanding the impact of mistakes and the unique requirements of your business, your vision integrator can design and implement the appropriate level of automation to safeguard you.

 

What’s the field of view and mounting distance of the camera?

 

A good integrator should be asking you about these factors to ensure the right system is selected. The field of view determines the size of the area that the camera needs to see in order to make a decision. For example, if you need to inspect a specific part or code, the camera needs to have a clear view of that particular area. On the other hand, if you need to scan pallet barcodes at high speeds, the field of view required could be much larger. Mounting distance is also an important factor as different machines or production lines have different mounting restraints that must be taken into account. Your integrator should have a clear understanding of these factors to ensure the machine vision solution is appropriately configured and installed for optimal performance.

 

What’s the throughput?

 

It’s important to understand the speed of your production lines and the number of inspections required per second when considering automating inspections. Automating can lead to significant improvements in throughput and efficiency, but it’s also important to consider whether the rest of your factory can handle the increase. There’s little point in speeding up processes that will have a negative effect on production downstream. These are crucial questions that a good integrator should be asking upfront to ensure a successful implementation of a vision solution.

 

What are you integrating into?

 

Integrating a new vision system into your existing processes is a critical consideration. Will it be connected to a robot, a programmable logic controller (PLC), or a manufacturing execution system (MES)? A good integrator should be well-versed in integrating machine vision into a wide range of systems and processes, regardless of your industry or product. Seamless integration with the next stage of the process is essential to ensure that the benefits of automation are fully realised, from increased throughput to greater accuracy and efficiency.