Image processing is key for Industry 4.0 and Smart Factories

By Bhalchandra Chorghade, Editor, CNCTimes.com

Automatica, the leading trade fair for intelligent automation and robotics, will take place in Munich, Germany from 21 – 24 June 2022. At the IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH booth B5.203, visitors will learn about the possibilities of modern camera technology with 2D, 3D and artificial intelligence. The combination of industrial image processing and automation enables groundbreaking synergies. This applies in particular to the IDS NXT embedded vision system with AI, which can be seamlessly integrated into Industry 4.0 systems thanks to REST and OPC UA. Since many tasks in robotics can only be successfully solved with 3D data, another focus is on the presentation of the Ensenso 3D camera families. With Ensenso S, a budget-friendly entry-level model is now available that makes 3D technology accessible in a low-threshold way.

Rule-based image processing quickly reaches its limits if the image data to be analysed varies too frequently and the differences are difficult or impossible to describe analytically. In these cases, reliable automation can often only be realised with the help of artificial intelligence. Machine learning transfers the ability to make flexible and independent decisions to image processing systems. The potential of such applications is enormous – at the same time, the entry hurdles are high, because the development of an AI vision solution usually requires expertise, programming effort and investments in computing and storage hardware.

The answer to this challenge is IDS NXT. Thanks to the AI Vision all-in-one package, neural networks can be trained even without prior knowledge, executed on an industrial camera and hence individual applications can be realised. The system is constantly being further developed. One new feature, for example, is the block-based editor with which users can develop their own programme sequences with AI image processing functions such as object recognition or classification without any programming knowledge.

With the Ensenso cameras, IDS offers a solution for 3D image acquisition that impresses with precision as well as economy and speed. The new Ensenso S-series has been specially developed for applications that require affordable, easy-to-integrate and industrial-grade 3D camera technology. The camera is equipped with a zinc die-cast housing (IP65/67), a 1.6 MP Sony sensor and an infrared LED laser. It is particularly suitable for large-volume projects and companies that want to make their first experiences with 3D vision. There is also news regarding the Ensenso software. One of the challenges in processing 3D point clouds is the localisation of known CAD parts. With the new PartFinder function (add-on, licence required) in the EnsensoSDK, there is now a suitable solution that is optimally matched to the Ensenso camera series and integrated into the EnsensoSDK GUI tools.

https://metrology.news/image-processing-is-key-technology-for-industry-4-0-and-smart-factories/

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