I-Cube
advantage
Machine
Vision
Aggregate
ID using Image Analysis by I-Cube
Fisher
Automotive product measurement
Sugar
Imaging
Stockpile
Volume Calculation
Counting
& Sizing
Smoke
Monitoring
Software
Vision
gauge
SDK:
IQ STUDIO
Workstations
Viewing
Station
Digital
Camera Selector Chart
Lens
BROCHURES
media
Cybernetics IPP
IQ studio
Applications:
Sugar
Industry INTRODUCTION
Chicken
Counting
Introduction
Chicken
presentation
SUGAR
IMAGING SOLUTIONS
Fisher
Automotive measurements
Art
ID / Verification
Car
Wash
ILLOVO
- Smoke Stack monitoring
SMOKE
STACK MONITORING Cost
Product
Measurement and Determination using Image Analysis by I-Cube
Directions
USER MANUALS
CV
DEMOS
REQUEST
IA CD
\
I-Cube
Intro Brochure







I-Cube
advantage
Machine
Vision
Aggregate
ID using Image Analysis by I-Cube
Fisher
Automotive product measurement
Sugar
Imaging
Stockpile
Volume Calculation
Counting
& Sizing
Smoke
Monitoring
Software
Vision
gauge
SDK:
IQ STUDIO
Workstations
Viewing
Station
Digital
Camera Selector Chart
Lens
BROCHURES
media
Cybernetics IPP
IQ studio
Applications:
Sugar
Industry INTRODUCTION
Chicken
Counting
Introduction
Chicken
presentation
SUGAR
IMAGING SOLUTIONS
Fisher
Automotive measurements
Art
ID / Verification
Car
Wash
ILLOVO
- Smoke Stack monitoring
SMOKE
STACK MONITORING Cost
Product
Measurement and Determination using Image Analysis by I-Cube
Directions
USER MANUALS
CV
DEMOS
REQUEST
IA CD
\
I-Cube
Intro Brochure
|
|
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Description: The
imaging viewing station is designed for machine vision applications
where a trained operator can manually inspect the small object.
If required an image can be captured on the provided PC. The
system consists of a camera attached to a macro lens, a stand, PC and
viewing monitor.
CAPTURE Screen via
TWAIN:
TYPICAL CAPTURED
IMAGES: 
384 x 288 - USB frame
grabber (goes up to 640 x 480)

Ellips Rio frame grabber (6 input card) with a 7-75mm lens
@ 7cm - NO Zoom

Ellips Rio frame grabber with a 7-75mm lens @ 7cm -
MEDIUM ZOOM

Ellips Rio frame grabber with a 7-75mm lens @ 7cm - FULL
ZOOM
OPTIONS: Size &
type of lens and stand depends on the magnification required; Camera -
depends on resolution required (288, 512, 1K, 2K), Frame grabber -
depending on the speed required, Software - What data should be captured
with the image and if any measurement is required.
TYPICAL SYSTEM
/ QUOTE CONSISTING OF:
- PC (CPU
(P4, 2.4 GHZ, 512 MB, 80 GB), Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, CD writer, 100
LAN, cables etc.
- MS Windows 98 /
2000 (depending on Frame
Grabber)
- USB or
PCI frame grabber (for analogue
video capture)
- High resolution
colour video camera with 12MM, 50MM, fixed lens OR 5-50MM, 7-75MM veri-focal
lens (depending on object
to view)
COST:
From R14 750.00 Shipping,
training, install, delivery and VAT excluded
PLEASE CONTACT
I-CUBE FOR CUSTOMISED OPTIONS
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Internal image
processing system solutions boost flexibility |
Anyone producing in large quantities for the motor-vehicle industry has
to ensure that their production processes run particularly smoothly and
reliably. The major global manufacturers of soot particulate filters for
the motor-vehicle industry now use In-Sight vision sensors for greater
efficiency on the production lines.
The decision � at the Nienburg plant of the Engelhard Technologie
GmbH company � to rationalise the handling processes by using
robots went hand-in-hand with the desire to control this precisely and
reliably by means of image processing. St�ubli, the robot
suppliers, advised to look at the world�s leading specialist in
image processing � Cognex. The very first online feasibility
survey held in November at Cognex provided excellent comprehensive
aspects for complete realisation. The remaining image processing steps
were able to be solved independently by the Plant Maintenance department
at the Nienburg plant. In December the entire system controlled by image
processing underwent initial start-up by the robot system integrator.
Thanks to the efficient cooperation and comfortable In-Sight Explorer
development environment it was possible to have the
�pick-and-place� system up and running in less than four
weeks.
Precision guaranteed reliability
With this handling task, difficult facts had to also be reliably
mastered. Immediately after the furnace the ceramic filters are
forwarded automatically to the transport conveyor and then the robot
cell. The robot must be able to detect, for example that the gripping of
the type 3 part is done precisely and that it is then placed on Line 2
for further processing. The soot filter product variants differ from
each other only in minor terms, however they have to be handled
absolutely reliably by the image processing system.
The In-Sight 5100 vision sensor used in the robot cell must be
absolutely reliable in recognising each shape amongst the roughly 25
different filter variants and also determine their exact position. To
enable the robot to grip faithfully the measuring accuracy must be
� 1mm. Because there are also filter variants of identical design
but slightly different lengths, the image processing system must also be
capable of reliably detecting these parts on the conveyor with their
differing heights. Only then will the robot know which part has been
picked up. The rotation angles of the mainly asymmetrically shaped parts
are to be provided to the robot as extremely precise data. This has to
be performed accurately as the subsequent reading of the 2D codes always
has to take place at the same point for reasons of process reliability.
A great advantage in implementing this demanding task was the
extraordinary reliable operation of the vision tools and algorithms that
are integrated as a library into In-Sight. They are parts of the
powerful PatMax vision software from Cognex. In contrast to edge
detection through grey-scale correlation these tools operate using
geometry-oriented object recognition. This operating principle mobilised
an exceptional accuracy and reliability in recognising parts and proved
to be of immense benefit. This was also shown to be a vital aspect in
terms of the image processing system reliability. A target of 99.9 % was
set in terms of image processing system availability. This is
indispensable with regard to achieving a particularly economic automated
three-shift mode.
The selected ceramic filters are then placed by the robot onto the
conveyor belt that forwards them to packaging. The accurate position
data as supplied by the In-Sight vision sensor then immediately controls
the robot.
Fast comfortable configuration
Programming, configuring and organising the installation of the image
processing system within the company enables short communication paths
to be set up. This would help to achieve a speeding up of the project
realisation coupled with greater flexibility in project work, and, last
but not least, bring about a significantly faster response capability in
any ongoing process adaptation.
Thomas Wente of Engelhard Technologie GmbH, responsible for project
execution, said: �On the one hand, we considered it to be very
important to be able to execute projects quickly and reliably, yet on
the other hand we also wanted to be able to immediately perform any
necessary changes to the process ourselves.�
On this note alone, it was also possible to master additional control
tasks with regard to packing the soot particulate filters. By using an
In-Sight 5100C colour vision sensor it is possible to verify whether the
green quality label is available on each filter and whether the
cardboard box contains the prescribed number of parts. By continuously
checking the number of packed parts and by comparing the number actually
produced it is possible to determine the amount of rejects/loss. The
support of Cognex employees at the production line itself made it
possible to completely solve the control task in only two days. Here too
the benefit of having a very simple image processing programming process
for the vision sensor using a spreadsheet operator interface was once
again demonstrated.
Right from the start an additional expansion of the image processing
system was planned for the production lines. This is why work was done
straight away with the In-Sight Explorer development environment. This
proved to be advantageous in terms of reducing time and costs for
setting up as well as programming the networked vision sensors. The
extremely user-friendly graphic working platform based on the Windows
environment enabled a time-saving and application-specific effective
solution for the complete vision tasks to be achieved. This serves to
guarantee all aspects of the implementation including the continuous
administration and communication of the vision sensor network with the
production network.
The fact that the staff learnt very quickly how to use the In-Sight
Explorer resulted in a significant reduction in vision development time
while also providing a basis for functional reliability, system
flexibility and integration into the company�s production
network. This proved to be an important aspect during the following
project extension. Another In-Sight has been integrated into the
existing robot cell and two further vision sensors control the second
robot cell which has now been installed.
Complex vision capabilities
In the past the localisation of objects or edges in the image processing
system was based on the so-called grey-scale correlation. During this
analysis procedure the image pixel grey stages are compared against the
reference object whereupon the position is then calculated. This
procedure soon reaches the limits of its capabilities when utmost
precision is called for and where influences such as, for example
rotation, scaling or fluctuating illumination and contrast ratios have
to be mastered.
In contrast to the grey-scale correlation process, the patented Cognex
vision software PatMax� procedures use the geometric basic
structures of objects in a three-stage procedure. Firstly, the most
important individual characteristics of an object such as the edges,
dimensions, shapes, angles, arcs and shades are isolated and identified.
The three-dimensional relationships between these central features of
the practised image are compared against the real-time image. By
analysing the geometrical data and the features and their
three-dimensional relationship then it is possible to clearly define the
object�s position with maximum accuracy. Features such as, e.g.
outlines with low contrast can therefore be recognised much more
reliably, accurately and faster.
PatMax is able to immediately recognise, for example by using a part
outline, where it has to locate other characteristics despite rotation,
displacement or concealment. The overall recording image no longer needs
to undergo linear analysis. This in turn simplifies the feature
detection process thereby rendering the vision system very fast, highly
flexible and extremely reliable. PatMax records extremely high
resolutions down to the subpixel range and provides reliable angular
determinations of objects to 0.02 degrees. The vision tool is invariant
to the object�s position, orientation and change of scale.
Through simultaneous examination of the outline and structure of the
object pattern it is possible to eliminate alternating illumination and
contrast ratios.
About Cognex
Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets machine
vision sensors and systems, or devices that can "see." Cognex
vision sensors are used in factories around the world to automate the
manufacture of a wide range of items and to assure their quality. Cognex
is the world's leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped
more than 350,000 machine vision systems, representing over $2 billion
in cumulative revenue, since the company's founding in 1981. In
addition to its corporate headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, Cognex
also has regional offices and distributors located throughout North
America, Japan, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Visit Cognex
on-line at http://www.%20cognex.co.uk/
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I-CUBE offers turnkey systems
custom designed to be
"out of the box" solutions for specific customer applications,
priced no higher than the cost of individual components.
- Imaging products are chosen to both meet specific customer
application requirements AND to work seamlessly together
- Computer system components are selected to optimize compatibility and performance
- All software, hardware, and drivers are installed and the system
tested to ensure optimal performance
- Systems are tested and shipped complete, enabling the customer to simply set it up upon
receipt and begin productive work almost immediately - we even
include cabling diagrams and custom setup instructions when
applicable
Customers make only one call for technical support, eliminating integration headaches
and finger pointing among component vendors.
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IMAGE ANALYSIS Solutions
CALL Barry
on +27 31 764 3077 or + 27 (0) 82-562-8225 or E-Mail NOW
(info at I-Cube dot co dot za) OR
Fax Number :
0866539659 OR Contact one of our DISTRIBUTORS
or an independent
security advisor!
Please download
(ZIP
/ Word)
the I-Cube
Company Profile and Products for more information
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