Vision Spectra Preview - Summer 2023

Line Scan Cameras

Linescan cameras are a well-established technology, though in recent years they have seen an uptick in demand due to the increased adoption of automated manufacturing processes, particularly in areas like battery manufacturing and optical sorting. Although many of the technologies involved are fairly mature, the sector is seeing innovation in prismatic color imaging which allows faster speeds, and in hyperspectral imaging, which is used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Like many technologies related to the semiconductor industry, linescan manufacturers have had to deal with challenging supply chain issues. This feature will cover established technologies and modalities like contact image sensors and typical tricolor cameras, as well as newer technologies, such as prism scanning cameras, and hyperspectral imaging devices. It will explore current trends and customer demands, as well as challenges in supply chain and cost management, i.e. sensors and optics, and how compromises can be made (using multiple adjacent cameras, rather than larger ones, tricolor cameras, etc.).

Key Technologies: Linescan cameras

Bin-Picking

AI-powered bin picking. Abstract This article will cover how smart bin picking differs from conventional bin picking, drawing a contrast in terms of speed and advantages/disadvantages.

Key Technologies: AI, bin picking, vision-guided robotics

AI & Inspection for Pharma

Like many industries, pharma manufacturing uses “pass/fail” mechanisms to regulate inspections. Much like the types of inspections for which they are used in the life sciences, modern AI is bolstering these pass/fail type implementations. In 2023, it is not enabling them for the first time. Still, progress in the field of AI is permitting systems integrators to add dimensions to existing processes. To deem these additions acceptable for use in pharma — where, Mueller says, end users often struggle to obtain insurance and/or regulatory approval for non-deterministic solutions — many successful use cases are “semi” automated.

Key Technologies: AI

Machine Vision Optics

Over decades, in digital imaging the sensor has been the limiting factor for overall system performance. This applies both in consumer photography and industrial machine vision applications. Latest sensor developments for machine vision cameras set new challenges for all components of the imaging chain and especially for the imaging lens. The ongoing trend towards increased megapixel counts results in smaller pixel sizes, larger sensors, or a combination of both. On top several other sensor properties must be considered: micro lens arrays, resulting in reduced acceptance angles of incident light, wider spectral sensitivities of sensors and a variety of additional properties. In this article we will discuss the design and selection of imaging lenses for different machine vision applications considering latest sensor technologies. With this article we will help system designers and vision engineers with the selection of the best suited imaging lens for their machine vision application considering latest sensor technologies: Why the traditional approach of selecting the camera first can lead your project towards a dead-end or significantly increased costs & timelines. Why megapixel – both on the sensor and lens side – is misleading when it comes to resolution requirements. Which side effects must be considered when designing or upgrading your existing system for a high megapixel sensor.

Key Technologies: Imaging sensors, lenses

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