Glossary · Machine vision
Vision system
Also known as: Machine vision system, Vision solution
German: Bildverarbeitungssystem
In industrial automation, a vision system is the complete set of components that performs a machine vision task: lighting, optics, one or more cameras, processing hardware and software, and the interface to the machine control.
- Machine vision
In one sentence
A vision system combines lighting, optics, cameras, processing software and control interface to perform a machine vision task.
Example
The vision system on the press line includes two cameras, dome lighting, an industrial PC and a PROFINET link that tells the PLC which parts to reject.
How it applies
- Engineering: The system is designed from the task backward: required features, then lighting and optics, then camera, then software and interface. Cycle time and reaction on errors are part of the specification. The interface defines how results, errors, timeouts and job changes are exchanged with the PLC.
- Commissioning: Validation with defined good and bad parts demonstrates that the system meets its requirements; results and settings form the Configuration baseline.
- Documentation: The documentation team should maintain a vision system description covering components, settings, calibration, validation results, operator tasks (cleaning, reference parts) and change control.
Vision system vs. smart camera
A Smart camera is a compact vision system in one housing. Larger vision systems separate cameras and processing and can combine many cameras and tasks.