Vision adds competitive edge to machinery

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 30, 2006

What does a European machine builder do to safeguard its future and ensure client satisfaction in an unpredictable manufacturing climate?

Founded in 1987, Guy Neyret is a machine builder of high speed inspection and assembly machines based in Lyon, France.

The company produces machines capable of 100% quality control thanks to the use of machine vision.

This gives it a competitive edge when facing current industrial economic challenges and retaining a sizeable home and export market.

The majority of Guy Neyret's clients come from the electrical sector as well as automotive, packaging, food and beverage and consumer products.

These sectors are obliged to be increasingly demanding in terms of quality control and inspection of very small pieces at a very high processing speed.

The need for a zero fault quality control raises already high expectations from Guy Neyret's clients.

Thus Guy Neyret's high speed machines must not only reach even higher speeds but also a reliable and detailed quality inspection.

Typical production speeds can range from 3000 pieces per hour in the automotive sector to 60,000 pieces per hour for some packaging products.

At these kinds of speeds there is no possibility for manual contact with the pieces in question and this is part of the reason that the use of industrial vision is the only answer.

This lack of contact also gives the added bonus of avoiding the chance of any more damage during inspection.

Guy Neyret maintains a vision workshop on site in order to test potential applications for client thus providing proven solutions to clients' unique problems.

For a company that counts among its original objectives the modernisation and improvement of factories this is a critical advantage.

The decision to use systems from the Cognex range such as the In-Sight family of cameras or VisionPro software came from the robustness of the cameras, the performance of their programs and their reliability in different applications.

Cognex vision solutions offer the opportunity to inspect with no direct contact which is a critical constraint when dealing with high speed machines.

By taking advantage of all of the possibilities offered by Cognex vision products Guy Neyret ensures that as a company they are capable of offering their clients both functional and surface control to very high standards.

Guy Neyret has been using Cognex vision systems for about 8 years and since then Cognex has consistently provided it with the appropriate solution.

Vision is currently something that is offered as a standard function on all machines proposed to the client.

Increasingly machines are fitted with vision inspection points using simple and easy to use vision sensors.

Current trends for Guy Neyret show that many of its machines are purchased with up to five cameras already installed.

Equipping its machines with vision systems allows Guy Neyret to be, and remain, competitive.

The company sees the value in the use of high technology as a forward-thinking means to consolidate and grow its position as a leader in its field.

The recent acquisition of the company Lagniel completes the Guy Neyret offering by allowing it to produce even faster machines, which in turn makes the use of vision even more crucial.

By integrating vision, Guy Neyret can offer high performing machines that are flexible and allow the company to position itself on a competitive market as a machine builder who responds and caters to the needs of its clients.

Guy Neyret can provide its clients with the double skill set of both mechanical expertise and the added value of vision solutions thanks to its collaboration with Cognex.