For quality professionals, the modern 3D smart sensor has moved to the center of conversations around quality in the automated age. Though 2D imaging remains popular, the rising affordability and strategic advantages of 3D vision for the smart factory are difficult to overstate. The future points toward increased use of robotics, machine learning, and real-time data on the shop floor, all of which frequently rely on 3D smart sensors.
For example, many production lines today have a robot for assembly and, further down the line, a machine vision system for inspection. But what if the robot had 3D vision built in, and thus could detect and correct problems at the front of the line? Already a reality, this mode of smart, automated, and data-rich quality inspection is on pace to become the new normal.