In the manufacturing industry, machine vision has been incorporated to develop industrial processes further, identify areas of improvement, and enable intelligent locomotion within robotics. Plant operators can mount cameras on production lines or cells for real-time process control, product inspection and sorting, and robot guidance, among other processes. However, more recently, with advancements in AI and increased computation power coupled with advances in algorithm development, machine vision has taken on a new avatar in the form of deep learning-based inspection systems. These systems are easy to train and teach and reduce the integration complexity when it comes to “teaching” the machines on what to look for.
Machine vision is central to the idea of the smart factory, which is based on a self-organized system consisting of a communication network and intelligent exchange of information. Acting as the eyes of the factory, machine-vision based image-processing systems can compute information that was previously obtained by manual testing. This reduces human error and enables robots to react flexibly to information for production control. Furthermore, the technology can even be utilized to examine the state of production machines for wear and tear. This information can be used for maintenance and alert a plant manager of the need to order a replacement component before it breaks.
Besides, there has been a lot of hype about deep learning in machine vision, which uses convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to carry out classification tasks by identifying characteristics learned from a set of training images. However, the challenge remains that in industrial applications, the number of available training images is limited while the tools, training time and processor resources remain high.
Highlighting these developments in the manufacturing space, Manufacturing Technology Insights has compiled a list of leading machine vision management firms that are at the top of their game. The enlisted organizations are addressing manufacturing challenges and transforming the associated operations and processes at the convergence of several disruptive technologies. Besides, the magazine also comprises insights from thought leaders in the sector on the industry trends, best practices, recent innovations, and their advice for the aspiring CXOs.
We present to you Manufacturing Technology Insights’ “Top 10 Machine Vision Solution Providers – 2020.”
