The demands of current-day markets just won’t stop: high-quality products, all day, every day. But how can companies make sure the chip in your new smartphone is perfectly placed? 

The answer in a nutshell: vision inspection systems. There’s a high chance that a machine vision system double-checked most of the industrial products you’re using right now. 

Keep reading to find out how these futuristic cameras work and everything they're capable of inspecting.

In this article, we’ll go over: 

• Vision inspection systems: the basics 
• What can machine vision inspection systems do? 
• Common applications
• Some popular use cases
• How machine vision does what humans can’t

Let’s see what we see!

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What is machine vision inspection, in a nutshell?

Machine vision systems perform automated analysis of images to detect flaws and irregularities in products. 

These vision systems use cameras to take hi-res snapshots of items on an assembly line, then specialized software analyzes the images to check that the products meet quality standards before the company ships them out.

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Capabilities of machine vision inspection systems

Vision inspection systems have some pretty spectacular capabilities that allow companies to improve quality, increase productivity, and reduce costs.

Let’s take a look at how: 

“What’s that ugly spot over there?”

Machine vision systems can detect defects and flaws that human inspectors often miss — or can’t even perceive even if they had 20/20 vision. 

They can spot surface defects like scratches, dents, and discoloration as well as internal flaws.

Measure twice, cut once

These systems can also perform precision measurements and gaging. They can accurately measure dimensions like length, width, and diameter as well as angles and profiles. 

As a result, this ensures parts meet specific design criteria.

Tracking down every nut and bolt

Machine vision systems can to identify specific components and assemblies. They can check that the right parts are used in the right place and the right order. 

How? By using trained models that can recognize the visual signatures of components.

Leading the way

The information from machine video inspection systems can also help guide robots and other automated equipment. 

For example, a system could detect the precise location and orientation of a part and then guide a multi-joint robot arm to pick up and manipulate the part.

“Bishop, show us the high-speed inspection trick again”

Machine vision systems can operate at very high speeds, inspecting hundreds or even thousands of units per minute. 

At these speeds, automated inspection helps get throughput and productivity through the roof.

Where are video inspection systems commonly used? 

Vision inspection systems have a host of applications in manufacturing and industry. 

Here are some of the most common use cases: 

QC, or quality control

Given its capabilities, vision inspection systems rock at spotting even the most minute defects in a wide variety of products. 

The system can detect things like cracks, dents, scratches, or contaminants and automatically (and gently) remove those products from the line.

Assembly verification

Vision systems also excel at making sure parts are assembled correctly. To do so, they check that all required components are present, aligned, and fastened correctly before the product moves further down the line. 

This catches any errors early and prevents faulty products falling into the hands of (soon to be dissatisfied) customers.

Sorting, grading, and classification

Many facilities use machine vision to automatically sort and grade products based on certain attributes like size, color, shape, or other visual properties. 

The system scans each item one by one and determines which category it falls into. After, it activates mechanical sorters to separate the products into the appropriate bins or piles. 

This drastically cuts down on the time and labor required for sorting and grading.

Reading codes

These vision inspection systems can perfectly scan product labels, barcodes, QR codes, serial numbers, and other printed codes to capture the information within. 

Then, they decode them and log the data, or use it to perform other functions like sorting products, verifying their authenticity, or tracking them through the supply chain.

Presence/Absence checking

An often-overlooked use of machine vision is verifying that required components, labels, or markings are actually there or that unwanted items are absent. 

The vision system scans the product and alerts operators if anything is missing, damaged, or incorrect so they can fix the issue before the product moves on.

Actual use cases of vision inspection systems

Unsurprisingly, these systems are present in manufacturing plants worldwide, as they’re ideal for inspecting high-volume, mass-produced goods. 

Some common applications that benefit from this type of inspection are: 

• Electronic component inspection - Checking circuit boards, wires, and other parts.
• Automotive part inspection - Verifying the quality of gears, brake pads, airbags, and more.
• Food and drink inspection - Detecting flaws and contaminants in products before they’re packaged or shipped.
• Medical device inspection - Making sure that critical parts like surgical tools, implants, and diagnostic equipment meet the highest standards.
• Pharmaceutical inspection - Carefully monitoring pills, vials, syringes, and other products to detect even the most minute imperfections.

Where do vision inspection systems beat humans?

A machine vision inspection system offers quite a few benefits to the naked eye. 

Let’s see:

All in all, they’re cheaper

Machine vision systems are a way more affordable option compared to hiring multiple human inspectors. 

Once you purchase the initial system, there’s little ongoing cost except for the occasional maintenance or reprogramming.  

By way of contrast, human inspectors require salaries, benefits, and smoke breaks. For companies inspecting high volumes, or with the need to scale up with continuous processes, machine vision wins.

Unbiased

Human inspectors can be subjective in their judgments and assessments. Tiredness, distractions, and ups and downs in perception could mean that the same human inspector may not always make the exact same pass/fail call on a part. 

Machine vision systems evaluate parts based on objective, programmed criteria. They apply the same standards always and consistently to every single part inspected. 

They don’t hesitate

Machine vision systems can assess parts and make pass/fail judgments much more quickly than human inspectors. 

They’re done in a matter of seconds, compared to the minutes it might take a human. For high-volume manufacturing, fast inspection means keeping up with production and avoiding bottlenecks. 

They learn and provide real-time feedback

Many machine vision systems can compile and analyze inspection data over time. 

They can detect trends in defects, identify parts that frequently fail inspection, and provide insights to help optimize production processes. The data and analytics machine vision allows companies to make ongoing improvements. 

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Summing up

After that overview of machine vision inspection systems and how they work, it’s hard to deny their value over traditional human inspectors. 

Whether you're looking to improve quality control, increase productivity, reduce waste, or optimize processes (and you should if you’re looking to scale up), machine vision is the way to go. 

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Next steps

Interested in bringing vision inspection systems to your shop floor? RO1 by Standard Bots is the best choice for SMEs and industrial giants alike.

• Affordable: RO1 is the most affordable robotic arm in its class, starting at almost half the price of its closest competitors. 
• Powerful: RO1 is faster and more precise than competitors, with high-grade robot vision systems and a best-in-class payload of 18 kg. 
• Easy to set up: RO1 is extremely easy to use straight out of the box, owing to a revolutionary no-code framework that requires zero coding expertise. 

Speak to our solutions team today to organize a free, 30-day onsite trial and get expert advice on everything you need to deploy your first robotic partner.