Machine Vision Edit Environment for Continuous Image Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
General-purpose machine vision inspection systems face challenges in programming continuous-motion type operations, which are complex and difficult for unskilled users to program efficiently, especially when combined with interspersed-type operations, leading to inefficiencies and errors due to non-intuitive rearranged programming representations.
Innovation Solution
A precision machine vision inspection system with a learn mode that allows users to create and edit part programs with a stream mode segment for continuous image acquisition, where image acquisition operations are performed sequentially during continuous motion, and image analysis operations are executed after image acquisition, maintaining an intuitive and consistent representation for both creation and editing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous-motion type operations are programmed for high-speed image acquisition, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases making it difficult for unskilled users to program
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides a recording mode that automatically captures the sequence of inspection operations performed by a user during manual operation and stores it as a part program. This copying approach allows unskilled users to create complex continuous-motion inspection programs by simply demonstrating the desired inspection sequence, which is then automatically recorded and can be replayed for high-speed continuous acquisition.
Solution Approach 2:
The recording mode enables the system to automatically generate inspection programs without requiring users to manually program complex continuous-motion sequences. The system serves itself by capturing user actions and converting them into executable part programs, eliminating the need for users to understand complex programming syntax or logic while still enabling high-speed continuous image acquisition.
2Productivity
If part program instructions are rearranged to group image acquisition operations for continuous motion, then productivity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to non-intuitive programming representation
Solution Approach 1:
The part program is divided into distinct segments: a stream mode segment containing continuous-motion image acquisition instructions, and a non-stream mode segment containing interspersed-type operations. This segmentation allows the system to maintain intuitive programming representation by keeping related acquisition and analysis instructions together in their respective segments, while still enabling efficient continuous-motion execution within the stream mode segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between stream mode and non-stream mode execution based on the segment being executed. During stream mode segment execution, the system performs continuous-motion image acquisition without interspersed analysis operations. During non-stream mode segment execution, the system performs traditional interspersed operations. This dynamic execution mode allows the program to maintain intuitive structure while achieving high productivity during continuous-motion segments.
Data Source
AI summary
A machine vision system editing environment is provided for a part program in which a continuous stream of image acquisition operations are performed during a run mode. In one embodiment, a new common syntax and representations are utilized wherein continuous image acquisition operations are recorded in the same way as regular operations, with the running of the part program being performed in two stages. In the first stage, the portion of the part program that is to have the continuous stream of image acquisition is scanned for image acquisition operations, and the most efficient order for acquiring the images is determined, after which the image acquisition process is begun. Then, in the second stage, while the image acquisition process is being performed, the portion of the part program is scanned again, with the image analysis operations then being performed.