Machine vision at a glance
Machine vision processing has nothing to do with Photoshop. However, the significance and possible applications are at least as exciting.
What is machine vision?
Automation and digitalization are finding their way into more and more areas of the economy. As a 'hidden champion', machine vision is a key technology here. Machine vision is the 'eye of production' and always keeps an eye on all processes relating to production and logistics.
A machine vision application requires hardware and software components. Image acquisition devices are used as hardware. These can be cameras or sensors that generate large amounts of image data. The machine vision software processes this captured information. It analyses the data and makes the results available for further use. A range of methods and technologies are available for this purpose. Deep learning in particular, a type of artificial intelligence, opens up exciting and completely new fields of application.
Unlimited fields of application for machine vision
Whether in the automotive industry, mechanical and plant engineering, the electronics industry, logistics or food and beverage production: machine vision can provide support everywhere.
- Quality control: Machine vision can be used to perform particularly demanding inspection and testing tasks. Around the clock, seven days a week and more reliably and accurately than the human eye ever could.
- Robotics: Robots rely on industrial image processing to precisely grip, process and place objects of all kinds. This increases the added value of the robot because it can perform more tasks independently.
- Reading barcodes and data codes: In logistics, all objects are equipped with codes for identification purposes. This means they are reliably identified by machine vision software and can be tracked seamlessly.
- End-to-end digital networking: Machine vision is a key technology for all developments relating to Industry 4.0 and digital networking. This is because it makes a significant contribution to optimizing the interaction between people and machines.
The advantages of machine vision
The advantages offered by automation using industrial image processing are manifold:
- Speed: Machine vision is predestined for high-speed applications. For example, it takes less than 10 milliseconds to localize the position of any object. By comparison, a blink of an eye takes 300 to 400 milliseconds.
- Accuracy: Industrial image processing works with accuracies of up to 1 µm.
- Reliability: Compared to humans, there is no fatigue, even during monotonous work. In addition, the results are objective and reproducible.
- Networking: Networked production or in combination with the cloud opens up a whole range of applications. Image data can be used for predictive maintenance, for example.
Industries that benefit from machine vision
Success Stories
Learn more about how to use MVTec software to develop high-innovative solutions. MVTec technologies are used in many different industries worldwide. Use the filters to find a success story suitable for your application area:
