This article first describes the main parts of a stereo vision system and then provides instructions on making an own custom stereo camera using off-the-shelf hardware components and open-source software. As this setup is focused on being embedded, it will compute a depth map of any scene in real-time, without the need of a host computer.
Articles for small children are subject to strict standards, compliance with which is consistently checked by the manufacturers. So that pacifiers, toys, clothing or cuddly toys do not become a danger, they have to pass many tests in advance.
Linear indexing systems transport the products between the individual stations in assembly or packaging lines. This makes them both the heart and the bottleneck of the plant, as they prevent higher machine utilization. Tech4automation solves this problem with linear systems that cycle particularly fast due to precision gears.
A hygienic complete mounting system is designed to enable food-safe and legally compliant placement of cameras in any position and orientation in food and pharmaceutical applications. To enable installers to easily comply with the specifications in every application, the manufacturer is currently preparing the full EHEDG certification of all components of the modular system.
The spring-loaded brakes from a brake specialist can now also be found in the driverless agricultural robots from the Danish manufacturer FarmDroid. Thanks to their encapsulated design, they withstand the harsh environmental conditions in agriculture.
Ice machines in swimming pools, amusement parks or service areas provide cooling on hot days. The selection and payment at the current generation of machines is anything but a pleasure. Seco Manufaktur wants to change this with its Secomat IC One Indoor.
It takes enormous electromechanical forces to create up to 1,000 ocean-like waves per hour in Wavegarden's artificial surfing lagoons. A channel-free wiring system creates space for the numerous frequency converters and also ensures that the control cabinet climate is homogenized.
The jury of the inspect award 2022 has nominated ten products each in the categories "Vision" and "Automation + Control". Now it's the turn of the readers of WileyIndustryNews to choose the best innovations in machine vision and optical metrology of 2022.
Christian Heller, Head of Product Management at K. A. Schmersal, talks about the role of digitalization and networking as well as radio technology in machine safety.
Networking is the trend - also in machine safety. The electrical designer has various options for connecting safety switching devices that offer significant advantages over conventional series connection. Which solution is best depends on the individual requirements.
Stefan Ditting, product manager at Hima, talks about increasing plant efficiency with Ethernet APL as well as infrastructure availability and compatible field devices.
Lea Fronzek, Single Pair Ethernet Product Manager at Escha, talks about the role of connectors in networked production and how to make plant setup, operation and maintenance more efficient and cost-effective with SPE.
A company specializing in liquid foods uses IPCs with Touch for the entire manufacturing and filling process right through to delivery. Read on these pages what distinguishes the IPCs and where they are used.
Besides pressure and temperature, flow is the most important parameter when gases or liquids are passed through pipes. Different technologies are available for its measurement. A transmitter is now intended to combine all the different technological approaches to flow measurement, which minimizes installation effort and maximizes flexibility.
Radar technology offers advantages over alternatives such as ultrasound or optosensor technology for many fields of application. Nevertheless, radar sensors have been used rather rarely in production and logistics for distance or level measurements. New radar sensors are now intended to be a solution for demanding applications in these areas as well - supported by a browser-based configuration tool for visualizing the signal curve for the precise adjustment of measuring ranges.
From a simple standard work table to a (partially) automated high-tech workstation with robotic support and optical assistance systems - with the right components, the optimum task-specific assembly workstation can be configured ready for use for almost any requirement.
As a result of the standardization activities of the Industrial Automation Profile IEC/IEEE 60802, the convergent TSN network will be able to be used by further industrial applications in addition to Profinet via TSN. A new Ethernet switch supports all required TSN mechanisms of this Industrial Automation Profile on the hardware side. Therefore, based on an extended configuration, convergent use with OPC UA and further protocols is given in the future.
Intensive tests ensure that electric car or smartphone batteries are really safe. To do this, the energy storage units are stressed beyond the load limit and observed by high-speed thermal imaging cameras when they burn up or explode. In this way, astonishing insights can be gained.
A metrology manufacturer has equipped a video microscope for research and industrial quality assurance with a larger field of view and higher illumination quality.
A Raman mini-spectrometer module is designed to detect Raman-active molecules with greater accuracy, higher selectivity and in a broader wavelength range than other mini-spectrometers. This is to be made possible by more powerful laser optics and an improved detection unit.
At Control 2022, a clamping technology supplier showed users and partners from the world of measuring and testing technology all the new developments since the last event of this kind.
Optical inspection of fiberglass nonwovens for medical and construction products focuses on detecting defects and unevenly distributed fibers, which could impair durability or filter effectiveness. The camera-based inspection system combines the detection and visualization of defects to quickly identify their causes.
Recording temperatures quickly and accurately and evaluating the data within a few seconds using artificial intelligence is important for fever screening, for example, to protect the residents of a senior citizens' residence from corona infection. This system is based on an industrial infrared camera.
Automation in production and warehouse logistics requires flexible solutions that do not create unnecessary complexity. Devices that can perform different tasks and thus reduce the integration effort are ideal - such as camera-based vision sensors.
Machine vision technologies contribute to a high level of quality in all process steps of semiconductor manufacturing. Which concrete application scenarios of industrial image processing are conceivable in the production and inspection of semiconductors and what relevance does the software have in this context?
While the topic of embedded vision is not new, new opportunities are emerging with hardware developments. The following article provides an overview.
A new and promising technique for industrial applications is the use of near and short wavelength infrared light (NIR and Swir) to obtain information that is not visible to the human eye. In many cases, the information acquired at these wavelengths complements data from the visible spectrum (350 to 750 nm). This article defines that NIR wavelengths are in the range of 750 to 900 nm and Swir wavelengths are in the range of 900 to 2,500 nm.
Costs and effort for digitization are high if analog systems for signal data processing in traffic applications, logistics and monitoring are to be replaced. Retrofit solutions that expand analog systems without having to replace the entire infrastructure provide a remedy.
Despite artificial intelligence, automation and additive manufacturing, inspection systems remain essential to industrial production. What is changing above all are the components. Quality assurance must therefore transform, for example in the direction of robot-assisted automatic 3D measurement systems.
Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is an integral part of quality control. Recently, hyperspectral cameras have also been used for the efficient reprocessing of construction timber.
The constantly increasing demand for bandwidth is leading to ever shorter communication technology cycles. The service life of capital goods in plant engineering thus sometimes significantly exceeds the availability of the selected data connection. The circuit-switched data service CSD is an example of this development. By the end of 2022, the existing communication solution must be replaced. A CSD over IP gateway allows plants communicating via CSD to continue using them with little effort instead of replacing them.
Digitalization has long since arrived in the packaging industry as well: Powerful control systems have taken the place of relay-based hardware and modern safety concepts are being implemented which, while providing the best possible protection, neither hinder processes nor encourage operators to tamper with them.
In the PXI Express housing, it's all about making the right use of the limited space. Together with an IPC partner, a housing manufacturer has now developed controller cards that are particularly narrow.
Machine tools still set the tone in terms of precision. But robots could soon challenge them for this top position in some areas of application. How? Answers are provided by the cooperation between the cycloidal gearbox specialist Nabtesco and the robot control expert Keba.
The eSIM (embedded SIM) is more than just a miniature version of the classic SIM card: with eUICC technology, it is possible to change network providers and tariffs at the click of a mouse. A closer look shows that networked companies cannot get around eSIMs.
