Vision system needs no programming
A
Festo product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Jul 7, 2004
A novel vision inspection and sorting system offers precision shape, tolerance and orientation detection, yet requires no programming to apply.
A novel vision inspection and sorting system offers precision shape, tolerance and orientation detection, yet requires no programming to apply.
Dubbed Compact Checkbox, the noncontact inspection system from Festo will reliably check component quality to facilitate automated picking, sorting and assembly processes.
Integrating an imaging system and ejection control logic in a compact module that is retrofitted easily to conveyors, bowl feeders or other automation, Compact Checkbox comes with powerful software that automatically learns the characteristics of different parts.
This approach offers an intrinsically simple-to-apply solution for increasing manufacturing quality and productivity.
"This product builds on a field-proven vision system that was developed initially for our own in-house needs, before being released commercially".
"With this major iteration of the technology, we've managed to create a considerably smaller and lower cost product that opens up the power of automatic vision inspection to a much wider audience", says Festo Product Manager Bob Jackson.
Compact Checkbox integrates all the electronics, camera and a scanning laser illumination source in a compact enclosure measuring less than 6 x 15 x 37cm including connectors.
This small form-factor allows it to be mounted easily over virtually any production line or process.
The vision system offers an imaging resolution of up to 0.2mm, allowing it to identify minute discrepancies from a learnt ideal, along with tiny details such as the thread pitch of screws, angles, spaces, gaps and critical dimensions.
It can operate at conveyor speeds up to 2m/s, and check up to 100 parts/s.
Compact Checkbox will also operate three actuators as a result of a check, providing for example: eject wrong orientation, eject incorrect part, and pass signals.
A strength of Compact Checkbox lies in the suite of powerful software included with the system.
This toolsuite includes CheckKon - an image capture package that facilitates easy learning of objects, and offers product configuration facilities including utilities that link with an encoder to understand the motion profile of the conveyor.
A further package called CheckOpti is available for advanced recognition, and provides a powerful wizard-style facility offering two ways to optimise product recognition to determine correct orientation and up to eight incorrect orientations.
Three versions of Compact Checkbox are available, offering varying levels of capability with storage memory for between one and 16 component parts.
Prices range from GBP 2990 for a simple system, to GBP 4525 for one with an integrated PLC.
The new Festo vision system has already been field proven in Europe at two sites: with a power tool manufacturer where it is used for checking motor brushes, and at a medical manufacturing facility where it inspects the angles of screws.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Festo
Tel +44 1252 775000
Other Festo stories
-
Festo cylinders employ linear-motor technology
Festo has launched two series of high-performance electric cylinders employing the company's tubular linear-motor technology. -
Festo cushioning offered on DSNU actuator
Festo has developed a self-adjusting pneumatic cushioning system, available as a build-to-order option for the company's DSNU series round-cylinder pneumatic actuators. -
Festo unveils linear motor based actuators
Festo has developed a class of electric actuators based on very high-performance linear motors. -
Festo solutions aid Guernsey water treatment plant
Guernsey Water has adopted various valve solutions recommended by Festo at one of the island's water treatment plants to improve the supply of drinking water to about 24,000 households and businesses. -
Festo valve for pneumatically-operated automation
Festo has launched the MS6-SV electrically-operated pneumatic soft-start and exhaust valve that provides safer start-up and reliable venting of compressed air supplies in the event of an emergency.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,488)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (531)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,123)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (474)
- Production line blowers and fans (73)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (963)
- Consultancy and Services (917)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,105)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (813)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (188)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (203)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,197)
- Plantwide control (1,347)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (573)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (390)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,421)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,289)
- Industrial Motors (501)
- Linear Drives and Motors (119)
- Precision Motors and Gears (425)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,083)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,276)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (575)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (709)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (647)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (3)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (374)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (719)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (428)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (821)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,319)
- 2D CAD software (202)
- 3D CAD software (1,177)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (576)
- Data, document management software (320)
- Electrical design software (165)
- Engineering Design Software (17)
- FEA and structural analysis software (376)
- File conversion software, data capture (358)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (338)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (324)
- PLM and collaboration software (658)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (269)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (206)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (947)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,198)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (435)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (849)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (575)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (365)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (414)
- Engineering Training Courses (456)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (180)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (284)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,608)
-
Materials and Processing (3,020)
- Materials and components (2,258)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (291)
- Rapid Prototyping (466)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,620)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (485)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (505)
- Data loggers (425)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (641)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (757)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (448)
- Materials testing equipment (429)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (158)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (518)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,253)
-
Powertrain Design (3,691)
- Bearings (973)
- Chains and belts (333)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,469)
- Hydraulic Components (473)
- Lubricants (439)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,237)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (446)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (637)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (289)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (157)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (534)
- Linear Position Sensors (412)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (724)
- Pressure sensors (634)
- Proximity Sensors (710)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (559)
- Sensors (10)
- Temperature sensors (620)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,402)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (2,021)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,708)
