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Choosing the Vision System is only half the battle! What you “see” is not all you need!
So you choose the vision system that you feel is most flexible to handle anything and everything that can possibly come across. But a vision system is not all that goes into a machine vision system! How’s that for an oxymoron?
Consider the following: When you think of a vision system, you think of a camera application that needs to be programmed to check for parts. Simple enough, correct? But think of it like an iceberg. You see the tip of the iceberg, and believe that's the dangerous area to be handled with caution. But in reality, the majority of the iceberg is underwater; it's here where most of the damage is inflicted. In Layman's terms, it's what you don't see that will damage your production line, and cost you money.
So what is this stuff that is “underwater” that will cause the damage, and cost you money?
You must take all aspects of a vision system and custom-tailor it to suit your needs in the most efficient, flexible, and cost-effective manner. This includes selecting the right vision system for your application, programming, engineering, selecting the proper lens and proper lighting, the proper mounts, mounting bracket kits, flexible fixturing and special machine requirements, expert controls design, camera/PLC programming, training and technical assistance. This also includes warranty protection, and, of course, dedicated service after the sale.
The Vision Depot is a company that understands the importance of this, and has built their company around this theory. While keeping in mind that there are various vision system manufacturers such as Cognex, DVT,and PPT, The Vision Depot also recognizes that there are more than them. As a result, The Vision Depot has built their company around all of the tangible, yet “underwater” applications that are critical to every machine vision system, including:
- Camera mounts and light mounts
- Flexible fixturing
- Plastic and stainless steel camera enclosures of varying degrees of protection
- Adjustable mounting bracket kits
- LED lighting and fluorescent lighting
- Camera lenses
- Ethernet switches
- Power supplies
The above-mentioned are most critical in optimizing your machine vision system!
Summary:
When some companies put in new lines, they will purchase the vision already incorporated into the line. I propose that this is not the right way to go about things, and it will cost your company a lot of money. You will eventually have problems with the vision systems on your line. This isn't uncommon. In fact, it's inevitable. The lack of flexibility will eventually cause downtime, and cost thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Improper mounting, fixturing, improper lenses or a lack of efficient lighting can be a nightmare.
Vision products featuring a stand-alone form factor can be advantageous in a flexible manufacturing environment. Vision interfaces that combine the flexibility of programmable systems with point-and-click simplicity work best in flexible manufacturing environments, and configurable interfaces enable users to rapidly respond to new product changeovers at runtime, on-the-fly, avoiding any potential reprogramming downtime.
These are all things that can lend a hand to a flexible and cost-efficient manufacturing environment. But having the proper “underwater” applications to propel your machine vision system is the key to having a streamlined, cost-efficient, and quality machine vision system. Choosing the proper mounts, fixtures, lenses, lighting, camera enclosures, and mounting bracket kits, among other things, are as important – and probably more important – than choosing the actual vision system itself.
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