Machine vision systems consist of a number of component parts and all of these must be optimized for the best possible performance. Choosing the right cables and connectors to link cameras to a vision system or PC is one important part of this and is driven by the particular application.

Choosing the right interface for your machine vision application is a key decision in your camera selection process. The following sections provide an overview of the different types of cables and connectors available for machine vision applications along with associated pros and cons.

The successful application of machine vision technology involves an intricately and carefully balanced mix of a variety of elements.

Where rule-based machine vision has not been attempted or has reached its limits, there is a high potential for deep learning algorithms to support employees and drive forward automation.

At its simplest, automation means to make something automatic. In manufacturing, whether describing a single device or an entire system or process, automation refers to performing one or many tasks autonomously with minimal or even no human interaction in a manufacturing or production environment.

The renewed interest for vision guided robotics (VGR) for the manufacturing of parts and packaging of goods is much in part to the number of advances in sophisticated technologies over the last decade. 

Manufacturing often involves the fabrication of products that are made up of multiple smaller parts or components. Assembling these parts into finished products can be complex and labor intensive. 

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are the latest innovation that have been transforming traditional robot tasks through increased flexibility and diversified applications, including their unique ability to navigate in an uncontrolled environment with a higher level of understanding. 

Machine vision quality assurance systems have excelled at automating the location, identification, and inspection of manufactured components through computational image analysis.

The official definition of “machine vision” encompasses all industrial and nonindustrial applications in which a combination of hardware and software provide operational guidance to devices in the execution of their functions based on the capture and processing of images. In short, machine vision helps companies manufacture quality goods, repeatably.