While inspection and parts sorting are still important functions, the biggest bang-for-the-buck comes when data derived from machine vision systems are used for process diagnostics--to avoid the production of bad parts in the first place.
Today, the risk associated with undertaking a machine vision project is virtually nothing, provided the correct application can be identified. The average cost for a complete machine vision system ranges from $40,000 to $50,000. And when the technology is used as a yield enhancement tool, it is not uncommon for a machine vision system to pay for itself in anywhere from three months to two years.