What are the differences between vision sensors and vision systems?
Vision sensors and vision systems are often used in automated factory production processes, and the two are very easy to distinguish:
1. Vision sensors are responsible for performing simple detections, such as answering simple yes/no questions on a production line.
2. Vision systems are responsible for performing complex tasks, such as assisting robotic arms in welding parts in automated factories.
Machine vision sensors capture light waves from a camera lens and, together with a digital signal processor (DSP), convert the light data into pixels that generate a digital image. Software analyzes the pixel pattern to display key data about the object being photographed. Many automated factory tasks require simple, direct vision sensor data.
• Presence or absence – Determine if a part is in the sensor's field of view. If the sensor answers yes, the machine vision software allows the part to be moved to the correct position in the production process.
• Inspection – Determining if a part is damaged or defective? If the sensor detects a defect, the part is removed from production.
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) – Determine if a part contains a specific word or text. Answering this question helps automated systems sort products by brand name or product description.
So how do you determine whether a company needs a simple vision sensor or a more advanced vision system?
One way to distinguish between vision systems and sensors is to imagine a bottling plant with hundreds or thousands of beer bottles on a conveyor belt. A vision sensor ensures that each bottle has a cap. If it has a cap, the bottle is deemed合格 (qualified) and sent to the packaging line. Then, another sensor ensures that there are six bottles in every six-bottle package.
However, bottling companies may need to identify whether the bottle cap is tilted beyond a certain angle. Or they may need to ensure that no other beer varieties are accidentally mixed in with the six bottles in the package. This would likely require a vision system.
Vision sensors are designed for easy installation and deployment, allowing factory personnel to typically complete setup and configuration without significant external assistance. If the imaging work only requires simple do / no judgment, then a vision sensor may be what your company needs.
Vision systems, on the other hand, require significant expertise and a substantial investment of time and money to configure, install, and train personnel. Companies typically rely on third-party integrators with extensive experience in vision systems.
Each company in the machine vision field has its own definition of the difference between machine vision sensors and systems. Cognex manufactures vision sensors that perform specific types of tasks, such as those used for quality control in food processing. Our vision systems combine advanced software with industrial-grade cameras for a wide range of factory automation applications.
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