PID, APC

Accelerate machine-vision application development

VisionPro from Cognex offers an interactive environment for vision-system development. Its user-friendly elements include interactive drag and drop, .NET scripting, and a full programming toolkit.

Machine-vision technology is embarked on a growth path of capabilities. One recent example is Cognex Corp. ’s announcement of significant new features added to its VisionPro machine-vision systems. The enhancements are said to accelerate development of PC-based machine-vision systems for challenging automated inspection and quality assurance applications.

VisionPro now offers a full set of interactive tools for creating vision applications without programming. Tools include:

  • QuickBuild environment to rapidly define image acquisition, vision tools, and accept/reject criteria;

  • Communications Explorer , which sends inspection results to input/output lines and communication devices, such as PLCs or reject mechanisms;

  • Scripting , an optional feature that extends QuickBuild without programming the entire application; and

  • Application Wizard to automatically generate a runtime application with an operator interface, reportedly in a matter of minutes.

“VisionPro’s new interactive tools make it fast and easy to evaluate, implement, and deploy multi-camera applications completely without programming,” says Marilyn Matz, Cognex senior VP, PC Vision. “With VisionPro, customers can maintain the power and flexibility of a fully programmable PC vision system, yet significantly reduce setup time and development cost.”

Typical users of this machine-vision system are machine builders, OEMs, system integrators, and advanced manufacturing engineers. Besides speeding up application development, VisionPro includes industry-leading vision tools and supports a variety of acquisition hardware to fit price/performance options for “virtually all types of image capture,” according to Cognex. Currently available version of VisionPro is 4.1, to which the company expects to add further productivity tools throughout 2006.

Frank J. Bartos , executive editor