Machine vision’s role in augmenting, enhancing AI in manufacturing

Omron Open 2023 in Hoffman Estates, Ill., emphasized many topics during the event including the rise of machine vision and its role in improving manufacturing operations and how it can help augment artificial intelligence (AI). In a video interview, Jason Mack, advanced sensing sales manager for Omron, discussed the rise of AI in the public consciousness and how Omron has utilized it in their manufacturing operations.

During a presentation in the morning session, “Inspect the Impossible, Seeing Beyond the Visible Spectrum,” Mack described machine vision as a compilation of technologies that provides automated extraction of useful information technologies in the form of cameras, optics, lighting, software and processing.

“We’ve been trying to produce more data and more algorithms to process this information,” he said.

This is also critical in keeping up with growing consumer demand, which has become more sophisticated. The modern manufacturing facility needs to be fast, efficient and flexible.

“When you look at what machine vision is used for, it’s keeping up with that flexibility. You can look at it as the product itself and its evolution itself from going from looking at some basic shapes all the way through. Now with AI, edge learning and the ability to use the vast amount of computer processing to do things or we can look at it from the actual sensing in different wavelengths.”

Machine vision has also had an impact on supply chain challenges, which became very pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic when worker shortages snarled up a system already dealing with complications.

“When we all got hit with the biggest supply chain issues, a lot of the electronics that we’re looking for is where that got hit first with those chips. That made it very interesting for both the usage of cameras and for the manufacturing of just about anything. Being able to be flexible and being able to take cameras that allow you to have the same sized workforce do more and that’s what the whole machine vision world is about is adding that second layer of help to the already existing workforce.”

Mack also discussed how the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has helped enhance machine vision capabilities as well as what he sees as the next step for machine vision and where he sees the technology and its concepts going in the future during the interview.

Chris Vavra, web content manager, CFE Media and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

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