This article by Knight Optical, a provider of precision optical components that undergo rigorous metrology testing, explores the latest discussions and groundbreaking advancements in the realm of machine vision technology.
Quality Takes Center Stage in Machine Vision
In July 2022, the highly anticipated Vision Spectra Conference brought together digital pioneers from top brands within the machine vision industry to discuss the latest innovations. A recurring theme throughout the various insightful and technologically advanced discussions was the paramount importance of quality.
As an example,during his talk titled ‘Human-Like Vision for Pick-and-Place Robotics’,Raman Sharma from Zivid,a company specializing in machine vision cameras and software,emphasized that achieving superior quality is crucial for high-performance applications,particularly in the context of robotic pick-and-place systems.
This principle is especially relevant when selecting optical components for thes advanced robotic vision systems, underscoring the need for excellence.
Overcoming Visual Challenges
To illustrate the numerous challenges faced by machine vision devices, Raman highlighted the complexities involved in detecting objects of varying sizes and shapes, as well as dealing with diverse materials that often present arduous surfaces. He also pointed out the everyday obstacles encountered when utilizing 3D cameras for robotic picking tasks.
These challenges include environmental factors, temperature fluctuations, and the need to prevent dirt and dust from obstructing vision.
It’s vital to recognize that many of these systems operate in demanding industrial settings, tasked with picking and placing everything from small, shiny components to large, heavy metallic parts, which underscores the critical need for exceptional visual clarity in these applications.
When collaborating with manufacturers of machine vision devices, it becomes clear that this concern is shared among designers, engineers, and optical component specifiers. As the visual apparatus that enables robotic systems to fulfill their primary functions, cameras must provide clear and unobstructed views, regardless of environmental interferences.
In response to these prevalent challenges, many clients turn to our extensive range of optical coatings, designed to enhance performance under conditions such as temperature variations, minor impacts, and obstructions caused by vapors, water, or oils.
Our offerings include:
- Anti-Fog
- Oleophobic
- Hydrophobic
- Anti-Reflective
- Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC)
Click here to explore our complete selection of optical coatings.
Industries Leveraging Machine Vision
Having discussed some of the challenges and solutions related to the quality of these systems, let’s examine a few industries that utilize machine vision technology. While we’ve already mentioned its submission in the industrial sector, Raman cites automotive manufacturing as a key example.though,numerous other fields also benefit from its capabilities,including pharmaceuticals and agricultural harvesting.
The Future of Machine Vision
As advancements continue to emerge across various sectors and further innovations unfold in customary industries like automotive and manufacturing, the future of machine vision looks promising.
With dedicated trade shows such as Automatica and VISION on the horizon, we can expect to witness more groundbreaking developments in the near future.
As a trusted supplier of high-quality, custom optical components for those operating in the transformative field of robotic vision, we are excited to see what the next generation of technology will bring and look forward to collaborating with new sectors that will embrace the evolving advantages of these systems.
Why Choose Knight Optical for Your Needs?
Clients choose Knight Optical not only for the exceptional quality of our products and the capabilities of our state-of-the-art Metrology Laboratory and Quality Assurance Department but also because we offer a variety of Stock Optics available for next-day delivery, alongside Custom-Made Components.
With over 30 years of experience and a portfolio of long-standing, globally recognized clients, we take pride in having contributed to some of the most innovative advancements in the industry.
