What to list about the camera, lighting, trigger, decision time, PLC signals and existing software before adding AI to a vision or automated machine.
What should we check before adding AI decisions to an inspection machine or automated equipment we already use?
First list your current machine's camera and lighting, its trigger signal, the PLC or reject device that receives the result, and how much time is available to decide on each part. Whether the existing camera can be reused, and what kind of signal the result has to be returned as, determine the scope of the integration.
Who this guide is for You use a vision inspection machine, but some defects are hard to catch with the rules you have set You build automation equipment and want to add AI decisions to your own machines You want to keep the cameras and reject devices on your current line instead of buying a new inspection machine Start by describing your current setup Item · What to write down Camera · Maker and model, resolution, interface Lens and lighting · Lens type, light direction and color Trigger signal · Whether a sensor, an encoder or the PLC starts image capture Inspection PC · Operating system, whether it has a graphics card, installation space Result output · Signal sent to the PLC, reject device, how results are recorded Existing software · Whether it saves images, and in what format it records results Can the existing camera be reused? Industrial cameras commonly use standard interfaces such as GigE Vision, USB3 Vision, Camera Link and CoaXPress. If you tell us the model and interface, we review whether the existing camera and lighting can be kept as they are. If the images you capture today are saved, we also check whether those images can be used to assess feasibility first. Which interface and configuration to use is decided during consultation, based on the equipment and product conditions. Time available for a decision The time a part takes to travel from the trigger point to the reject position is the maximum time available to capture the image, make the decision and sen…