A Better Automated Inspection Option that Surpasses Machine Vision

Machine vision inspection has been a boon to many industries—from electronics to packaging to medical devices—by automating repetitive quality inspection tasks.  However, traditional machine vision systems simply cannot equal the precision and judgement of human inspectors when it comes to examining low-contrast features, for example, or assessing the scope and severity of defects.  Machine vision systems may miss a large percentage of defects in challenging applications like inspection of complex electromechanical assemblies.

While machine vision systems are sufficient for many types of inspections tasks—and offer benefits of quantifiable, actionable data—the downside is that they just aren’t suited to high-precision, low-contrast, and challenging assembly verification. To fill the gap in these types of applications, human inspectors are still widely used when their discernment, visual acuity, and ability to detect and judge unexpected defects is required to ensure product quality.

A new inspection solution option is now available for these kinds of challenging inspection tasks: INSPECT.assembly™, which uses photometry-based ProMetric® cameras. Typically applied for light measurement, these cameras feature high-resolution, scientific-grade image sensors with broad dynamic range (better than 59 dB) to capture the greatest number of contrast-level differences in images to visualize the smallest variations and subtle defects.

INSPECT.assembly provides the speed, data, and repeatability of machine vision, with the visual acuity of humans. A turnkey inspection station, INSPECT.assembly rolls up to the manufacturing line for in-line inspection on any moving conveyer.

If ”almost” defect-free isn’t good enough for you or your customers, and you need a better automated inspection solution, check out the latest Tech Note from Radiant. In it you’ll learn:

• The benefit of photometry-based imaging systems over traditional machine vision
• The impact of resolution and dynamic range for detecting subtle defects in complex electronic assemblies
• How photometric tools for light measurement are applied in assembly verification applications
• Applications of Radiant's INSPECT.assembly Automated Visual Inspection Station