Enhancements to PC-based machine vision system

Data Translation today announced the release of DT Vision Foundry 2.5, a PC-based machine vision solution designed for visual inspection and automated industrial imaging applications

Data Translation today announced the release of DT Vision Foundry 2.5 (DT VF 2.5), a fully integrated, PC-based machine vision solution designed for visual inspection and automated industrial imaging applications.

With its proven easy-to-use point-and-click programming environment, the enhanced DT Vision Foundry has seven new tools, additional frame grabber support, new measurement and analysis capabilities, and enhanced performance and streamlined tool interfaces.

The solution is ideally suited for Machine Vision OEMs, integrators, and end users whose needs include high performance, speed, and accuracy in measurement, calibration, advanced search functions, and bar code reading.

The expanded version is the first solution of its kind to use advanced algorithm technology to perform dynamic inspection without the need for strict environment controls.

Intended for real-world manufacturing settings, these algorithms reduce costly control requirements, such as special lighting, part positioning, rotation, and variations in part reflectivity.

The end result is a cost-effective machine vision system that sharply cuts programming time, reduces the need for specialised tooling, and creates a more robust and accurate inspection system with fewer false failures.

DT Vision Foundryûs unique "multi-tier" architecture offers extraordinary flexibility and versatility in that it can be used at three different levels: (1) rapid program development (2) custom application development; and (3) custom tool development.

This architecture allows both novices and advanced programmers to use the system in the manner that best fits their expertise and application requirements.

"DT Vision Foundry 2.5 not only responds to the growing demands of the marketplace but equally important identifies new machine-vision applications.

DT VF 2.5 demonstrates that Data Translation is a formidable player in this $5 billion industry," said Fred Molinari, Data Translation's founder, president, and CEO.

"We are giving our customers the breakthrough technology they need to perform challenging visual inspection, and we are excited by the countless solutions DT VF offers." DT VF 2.5 offers these distinguishing, new features: Picture Tool - The new Picture Tool, based on Data Translation's DT-Active Open Layers ActiveX frame grabber control, now supports a wider range of Data Translation's frame grabbers, including the DT3154 RGB colour PCI frame grabber, as well as the DT3130 Series "Multi" frame grabber family.

New controls have been added for precise frame grabber set-up and operation without programming.

Image Classifier Tool - This new tool allows objects within an image to be classified by their features.

This network-based tool is rotation invariant and extremely fast, making it ideal for identifying parts where rapid execution speed is required.

Contour Classifier Tool -This new tool allows objects within an image to be classified (located and identified) by their contours.

The tool is scale invariant, rotation invariant (all planes), and position invariant, making it ideal for identifying and sorting randomly placed parts.

In addition, DT VF 2.5 includes these enhancements: Enhanced Point and Click Script Tool - New features include compound conditional operations, an "assignment" function for performing arithmetic operations on variables, and string variable enhancements.

A new timer, showing min, average, and max execution times per step, has also been added.

Ease-of-use enhancements include tab support, auto-scrolling, and enhanced drag and drop editing.

Enhanced Search Tool - New features include algorithm speed optimisation, enhanced search options, new colour-based search functions, as well as sub-pixel measurement down to 1/50th of a pixel.

Enhanced OCR (Optical Character Recognition) Option - Enhancements include speed optimisation, new ROI (region of interest) segmentation, and enhanced catalogue editing functions.

Streamlined Tool Interfaces and Improved Performance - DT VF 2.5 user interface is now enhanced and improved, making tools faster and easier to use.

Numerous tools have been optimised for speed and increased performance.

* Pricing, Availability, Upgrade Policy, and Support: DT VF 2.5 is available immediately.

Pricing is based on system configuration with a typical system starting from £7500.00.

This includes the DTVF development software, an industrial PC with monitor, a frame grabber, Digital I/O, Camera and lens, and all communication.

Upgrades from version 2.0 are provided free of charge to existing customers.

DT VF 2.5 operates on Windows 98/2000 and NT 4.0.

Free telephone support is available, as well as various on-site support options.

* Special Offers: Data Translation offers a free feasibility study to determine the application needs and requirements of a prospective or first-time user.

A free, fully functional 30-day evaluation copy of DT Vision Foundry is also available.

Academic users can purchase DT Vision Foundry for the discounted price of £1,250.00.

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