Industrial machine vision cameras and sensors are finding their way into applications both on and off the manufacturing floor.

When an engineer begins the process of specifying a new machine vision system, they will often think very carefully about the line speed, the optics, and the image processing software.

Quality assurance during high-volume production operations, such as the inspection of consumer packaged goods (CPGs), is possible only through the application of high-speed machine vision systems.

Lens and camera sensor technology tends to co-evolve. As cameras drive to smaller and smaller pixel sizes with growing formats, lenses need to be designed to match those higher capabilities. 

Lighting and lighting control is a critical component of any machine vision system since it has a massive influence on the signal to noise ratio and contrast in the images acquired.

Whether an imaging system measures dimensions, verifies colors, or determines shape, the purpose of machine vision is to distinguish an object from its background. 

The demand for machine vision has grown exponentially as manufacturing facilities turn to automated quality control solutions to remain competitive in fast-paced markets with decreasing tolerance for error. In fact, the rise of machine vision is directly correlated with the increase in automation and robotic use in factories.

The world of machine vision imaging is largely performance driven. We’re looking for features on a part, finding edges, gaging, etc. 

The cameras, lenses and illumination used in a machine vision system all make significant contributions to the overall quality of the images that are produced. The rapid developments in CMOS image sensor technology over the last few years have created significant challenges for lens manufacturers. 

Lighting selection and setup play a critical role in the success of a machine vision application. Vision systems rely on specific types of lighting to optimize contrast or to highlight a specific feature of interest.