Diverse applications within various industries can be solved with visual inspections. Vision systems from KEYENCE provide easy to use interfaces with powerful results thanks to intuitive software and customizable hardware. Proper selection of cameras, lighting, and controllers is essential to tailor and optimize inline inspections. Additionally, inspections are customized to each application to ensure proper criteria are met.
In addition to part identification, defect detection, and verification, vision systems can be used for the growing need of vision-guided robotics. KEYENCE vision systems are designed to connect directly to all major brands of robot controllers. Provided robot programs for each manufacturer eliminates complicated robot programming for the end user. Supported brands include FANUC, Yaskawa, ABB, KUKA, Denso, Epson, Kawasaki, Mitsubishi, Staubli, Yamaha, Universal Robots, and more.
Adopting a vision system makes it possible to perform 100% inline inspection automatically for items that would otherwise need to be inspected manually. No additional costs are needed after the vision system is installed, and variation in judgment results between operators can be eliminated.
Improvements in vision system technology have enabled advanced, automated inline inspections for any level of user. It’s now possible to inspect 100% of products on high-speed manufacturing lines, so defective parts can be identified before additional processing or release. If similar inspections were done manually by operators, this process would be slower and less reliable.
Thanks to high-speed cameras and image processors, multiple images can be taken under different lighting conditions fast enough for 100% inline inspection. This makes it possible to complete multiple inspections at the same time, using variable lighting to pull out complex or low-contrast features and defects.
With conventional vision systems, hairline scratches and stains on glossy, metal surfaces may only be visible under certain lighting conditions, and these conditions often make reading characters and bar codes incredibly challenging. To combat this common issue, KEYENCE developed LumiTrax™ Specular Reflection, which uses advanced hardware to automatically combine multiple lighting conditions to extract each feature and defect with line scan imaging.
Using a vision system to act as the "eyes" of an industrial robot can significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of advanced picking operations. The vision system detects a product’s position in the robot's coordinate system, and outputs these measurements directly to the robot controller for dynamic adjustment.
Conventional industrial robots require operators to specify coordinates manually using a teaching pendant. This manual operation can be time consuming, and accuracy may vary between operators. KEYENCE vision systems can communicate directly with many robot manufacturers, allowing for easy connection and efficient programming of the robot. This connection automates the cumbersome tasks of calibration and calculation, which stabilizes inspections and reduces the time required for integration.
In the automotive industry, even a small defect can result in a serious accident. To mitigate this potential risk, strict inspection requirements ensure rigorous quality and safety standards. Vision systems allow users to meet quality specifications, increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve accuracy, and ensure traceability of component inspections. Application examples include:
- Presence detection: moisture-proofing agents on ECU's, fuse assembly checks, and
- Appearance inspections: DPF, oil seal, engine valve, piston coating, and differential gears
- Measurement/alignment checks: battery positioning, bent connector terminals, spark plug dimensions, gather positional data for robotic pick and place applications
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In the food and medical industries, inspection standards are regularly strengthened, and traceability is required to ensure safety. A vision system makes it possible to automate inspections and easily store image/result data. Application examples include:
- Presence detection: ensure proper case count, multiple components such as straws adhered to drink cartons
- Appearance inspections: character recognition (OCR) for lot codes, proper forming and no defects in food trays, shrink wrap, blister packs, and cans
- Measurement/alignment checks: label placement, seal width and position, needle dimensions, gather positional data for robotic pick and place applications
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As electronics such as smartphones, gaming consoles, and PC's become smaller and thinner, their semiconductors and other electronic components need to be even more compact and accurate. KEYENCE vision systems improve inspection accuracy to meet the growing needs of these precise assemblies. Additionally, 3D vision systems bring ultimate stability to these inspections to identify height changes despite low contrast in materials. Application examples include:
- Presence detection: pins, connectors, solder
- Appearance inspections: crystal oscillators, IC molds, LEDs
- Measurement/alignment checks: Connector pin co-planarity, tray orientation, PCB warpage, terminal heights
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Vision systems rely on a combination of cameras and software to inspect objects automatically. The system would use one or more high-resolution cameras to capture the images and data of the object being inspected in real time. This image capture is also incredibly accurate, granting these systems levels of accuracy in single-digit microns.
Once the images and other data have been captured and collected, they’re relayed to a computing unit for processing by dedicated software solutions. This could potentially involve techniques like filtering, edge detection, pattern recognition, or even color analysis to identify different properties associated with an observed object and various inspection requirements. Once the image is processed, the processing software extracts relevant information, including measurement, presence or absence of different components, defects, etc. These metrics are then compared against pre-set standards or criteria, leading to subsequent decision-making based on the results of the comparison.
Decision-making could be as simple as a pass-fail outcome or as complex as the location of a specific defect. Vision Inspections systems can be further programmed to either alert the operator, trigger automated actions, or gather data for QA. What’s great about these systems is that they’re fully customizable, and they often use machine learning to adapt to new patterns for greater efficiency.
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The most cutting-edge features associated with vision solutions mostly depend on the applications of such systems. Generally speaking, the integrability between vision systems and other automated machinery is perhaps the most cutting-edge feature associated with vision solutions.
The same applies to wireless connectivity implementations, especially 5G connectivity options, as these allow for quick transfers of large amounts of data, thus allowing for faster decision-making on the part of the system’s machine learning or artificial intelligence. While on the subject of AI, these particular implementations revolutionized various industries, and vision systems are no different. The improved AI implementations allow vision systems technology to better interpret the data and solve difficult applications.
These systems can be used for color and product type inspections, measurement applications, character recognition, defect detection, and more.
These systems can subsequently be used for the following:
- Connector cable color difference check
- Front/Back differentiation for pressed metal parts
- Product type differentiation of injectors
- Sealing tape presence detection
- Identifying groove detection in gear assembly processes
- Coating inspection on ECU
- Lead frame plating inspection
- Presence inspection for seasoning packets
- Screw processing presence detection
- Part mounting confirmation
- Hot melt presence detection
- Detection of remaining molded products
- Retaining ring detection
- Bottle count in cases
- Product type differentiation/2D identification of IC packages
- Chip count
- Various part inspection inside tray
- PCB solder appearance inspection
- Transmission assembly and sealant inspection
- Busbar flatness measurement
- Inspection of connector housing and pins
- Lithium-ion battery sealing plate top surface welding inspection
- Torque converter assembly inspection
- ECU PCB solder inspection
- Alignment for mounting of camera module
- Electronic PCB laser alignment
- Wafer alignment
- Battery lamination layer alignment
- ECU sealant coat inspection
- Electronic component inspection
- Appearance inspection - printed surface of batteries
- Differential gear appearance inspection
- Black rubber sheet appearance inspection
- Inspection for foreign particles in jelly after filling
- O-ring burr inspection
- Appearance inspection of battery housing
- Wound coil appearance inspection
Area cameras are categorized into four main groups: high-resolution models, high-speed models, standard models, and compact models. Each model has the ability to be color or monochrome. The correct camera is dependent on the application, which is outlined below.
(1) Determine the number of pixels necessary to meet accuracy requirements.
(2) Select the transfer speed based on the needs of the application.
(3) Select a camera size based on installation space.
(4) Select either a color or monochrome camera based on what kind of inspection is needed.
When choosing the right lens for the vision system, there are a variety of factors to consider. Both the field of view (FOV) and working distance (WD) of the inspection will determine the right lens focal distance for image capture. The depth of field (range of the depth of focus) and contrast are other important considerations when selecting a lens. A general selection procedure is outlined below.
(1) Determine the focal distance based on image capture size (FOV) and installation distance requirements (WD).
(2) Determine the depth of field needed based on the height and shape of the target. Targets with varying height surfaces and features will require a greater depth of field. The depth of field will increase as working distance increases, as focal length decreases, and as the aperture becomes narrower.
(3) Select a high-resolution lens or standard lens according to the necessary inspection accuracy and contrast of the target.
The lighting direction, color, and type will be determined by a combination of target characteristics, inspection needs, and the surrounding environment. Outlined below is a general lighting selection process:
(1) Decide the direction of the lighting: Depending on the material and shape of the target along with the inspection purpose, select one of the following illumination types: specular reflection, diffuse reflection, or transmission.
(2) Decide the lighting shape and size: If choosing specular reflection in Step 1, select either coaxial lighting, ring lighting, or bar lighting. If choosing diffuse reflection, select either low-angle lighting, ring lighting, or bar lighting. If choosing transmission, select either surface lighting or ring lighting.
(3) Decide the color (wavelength) of the lighting: For color camera inspections, white lighting is standard. For monochrome camera inspections, colored lighting can help enhance image contrast using complementary colors and wavelengths.
A color camera is generally preferred when inspecting for changes or irregularities in color. Each pixel of a color image holds RGB information, which is three times the data of a monochrome pixel. Because there is more data per pixel, extraction and differentiation is easier.
Monochrome cameras are preferred for measurement type inspections, where strong edge extraction is needed. Monochrome cameras are also commonly paired with colored lighting to aid in inspection. Examples include mitigating ambient light, causing a UV-dyed material to fluoresce, and emphasizing surface scratches.
Traditionally, colored lighting is paired with a monochrome camera, and the color (wavelength) of light will vary depending on the desired inspection. Colors which closely match a given target or are complementary to the target color can strategically manipulate and stabilize the image. To differentiate subtle differences in surface characteristics and further stabilize inspections, an intelligent lighting method called Multi-Spectrum uses eight different colors of light to gather more pixel data per pixel. Having data from multiple wavelengths creates more contrast between like-colors, and a true color image can be shown on the operation screen despite using a monochrome camera.
KEYENCE vision systems can perform appearance inspections on a variety of target surfaces. Sophisticated inspection algorithms, such as the defect tool, can detect localized changes in contrast to identify scratches and stains. Because the inspection looks for localized changes, external influences like ambient light do not disrupt the inspection. In addition to robust inspection tools, 24 image enhancement filters are available to reduce the effects of uneven lighting, rough surfaces, or variation among products. Two noteworthy filters are the scratch defect extraction, which enhances linear flaws on rough targets, and the shading correction, which emphasizes sharp changes in contrast while eliminating gradual ones.
Laser radiation of infrared fibre lasers can cause serious and lasting damage to the human eye – so a handheld laser is not a toy. But simple precautions and our inherent safety design make this a safe solution that meets the requirements of globally active customers and their safety organizations.
In the time that it takes to blink an eye, laser radiation damage to the eye may have already occurred. Unprotected exposure of your eyes to lasers can result in the development of cataracts or even a corneal burn, which can result in vision loss.
Sustainability is emerging as an important approach that manufacturing companies employ to improve their economic profitability and competitive advantage by enhancing environmental performance. Consistent with the contemporary aspects of ecological responsibility, specific forms of ECOLogical ENERgy (ECOLENER ®) saving mediate the relationship between an environmental sustainability orientation and environmental performance.
Every PhotonWeld laser Welding Machine is equipped witht the unique and patented EcolEner energy saving technology. Minimal 22% energy saving compared to any other laser source and up to 85% energy saving compared to any other Welding Machine
Lasers can weld many different types of materials together. Stainless steel, titanium,nickel, aluminum, molybdenum, and Inconel are just a few of the metals that are
well-suited to laser welding. What is important to note, however, is that not all metal combinations are weldable.
Aluminum, for example, can be laser welded. However,only dissimilar grades of aluminum can be welded together due to a high probability of cracking.
This is one area where laser welding differs from conventional welding. In conventional welding, the metals don’t bond directly with one another, but rather with the filler material being used. This can be a major factor in determining whether or not a particular application lends itself to laser welding.
More info on different materials welding with laser
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