Success Story
Technologies like Surface-Based Matching, Sheet-of-Light, and Edge Extraction may sound like science fiction, but they’re revolutionizing industrial automation today. These machine vision technologies are essential of Vista’s solution for the automotive sector, where precise, high-volume inspections are mission critical.
The system conducts True Position Measurements (TPM) on key features of underbody tray assemblies. 2D cameras mounted to robotic arms capture images of relevant inspection points. These images are then analyzed by MVTec HALCON, which performs detailed measurements – such as width, depth, distance, and thickness – of critical part features. HALCON also assists with robot path planning to ensure optimal camera positioning for each inspection.
The result is a fully automated quality assurance process that hasn’t existed on the global market until now. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Windsor, Ontario – with offices in Detroit, MI and Querétaro, Mexico – Vista Solutions develops turnkey machine vision systems for the automotive, road safety, and defense industries. Their portfolio includes consulting, implementation, and end-to-end customer support.
Machine vision has become a key driver of automation in manufacturing, often described as a “hidden champion.” Why? It provides unmatched scalability, precision, and 24/7 uptime. Unlike human inspectors, vision systems don’t tire, vary in performance, or require breaks – making them ideal for repetitive inspection tasks.
In Vista’s case, the Flex-Inspect Platform was developed as an inline inspection solution for an automotive supplier, replacing a previously manual process. The objectives were clear:
“A machine-vision-based system was the only viable option to meet these goals,” explains Peter Denzinger, Vice President of Engineering at Vista. “Vision systems offer exceptional flexibility, rapid deployment, and, unlike sensors, they remain reliable even when positioning isn’t perfectly consistent.”
Built around MVTec HALCON, Vista’s Flex-Inspect Platform integrates a robust hardware setup: two 6-axis robots, each equipped with a 3D snapshot imager. These imagers combine industrial cameras with ring lights and laser projectors, enabling the creation of detailed 3D images of the part surface.
HALCON is deeply embedded in Vista’s control software and performs multiple core functions – starting with hand-eye calibration. This process aligns the coordinate systems of the robot and the vision system, a prerequisite for accurate part localization and measurement.
HALCON’s powerful operator library – comprising over 2,100 image processing tools – was a key factor in Vista’s software selection. “We’ve been working with MVTec since 2008,” Denzinger says. “For this project, HALCON offered the breadth of functionality and platform independence we needed.”
Once the underbody tray is positioned within the robotic work cell, both robots independently navigate to predefined measurement points. The system determines the real-world position of each datum and critical feature to execute TPM checks. The result is a clear pass/fail output, based on whether each measurement falls within acceptable tolerance limits.
To meet the tight cycle times required by modern production, each image must be processed as a snapshot in real-time.
What role do techniques like Surface-Based Matching, Sheet-of-Light, and Edge Extraction play?
These operations are repeated for every key feature of the part. Once all features have been measured, the system can perform fixture-based measurements or calculate 3D offsets for alignment and guidance purposes.
“HALCON’s extensive library allows us to select the best-fit method for each task,” says Jan Gärtner, HALCON Product Manager at MVTec. “That flexibility is crucial for manufacturers who need a system that can scale and adapt to a wide range of applications.”
Vista’s solution has already been deployed for a full production cycle and has exceeded customer expectations. “We stayed in close contact with the client post-implementation and made sure that all strategic targets were hit,” says Denzinger. “The improved and consistent part quality gives them a clear competitive edge.”
Looking ahead, Vista and MVTec see increasing demand for intelligent inspection solutions – especially in automotive manufacturing, where AI-driven vision applications are poised to grow. “With the Flex-Inspect Platform and HALCON, we’re well-positioned to support that evolution,” adds Denzinger.
Gärtner agrees: “Vista’s solution is a great example of how machine vision can create measurable value. By automating inspection, companies not only improve consistency and throughput – they also reduce labor strain and gain flexibility. It’s a clear win across the board.”
