A new camera-based visual inspection sensor, called the PresencePLUS Pro, is designed to transform complex and costly machine vision systems into an easy-to-use and affordable solution. Like larger and more expensive systems, it captures images and analyzes them using one or more vision tools to generate judgment results.

With its straightforward programming, the vision sensor is geared to be easy to install and operate. In fact, it has been engineered so that someone with minimal knowledge of vision systems can set up an inspection that correctly tests and rejects bad parts on a production line.

The PresencePLUS Pro is set up using a remote PC. After it has been set up, inspections are stored in the system without the need for the PC. It performs multiple inspections simultaneously and inspects for both translational and rotational variation. Parts moving down a production line or web are inspected without the need to be orientated in exactly the same way in the camera's field of view.

In addition, the PresencePLUS Pro offers point-and click automatic "teach" or custom setup. An inspection is set up by simply illuminating the target, focusing the camera, and selecting the appropriate analysis tools. The full range of inspection tolerances can be set up automatically or manually.

According to Alan Carr, body shop engineer at General Motors Corp.'s North American Car Group, the vision sensor's greatest advantages are its video output, "teach tool," and price tag of less than $2,300.

"Establishing the optimum focus, lighting, and other photographic parameters of an inspection was well facilitated with the aid of the video output from the Banner controller," says Carr. "Adjusting the target image on a TV monitor is actually much easier than using a laptop display due to the high resolution and refresh rate."

Carr also describes the "teach tool" as extremely valuable for eliminating guesswork and applying the statistical variation of a sample to a tool's acceptable operating limits.

The "teach" system is a self-setting system with programming for basic and advanced inspections. New users can follow the guided setup sequence while advanced users can override automatic settings and create highly customized inspections,

PresencePLUS Pro features Ethernet, serial, and flexible I/O in a single sensor. It offers the ability to communicate data, measurements, and information for system process control over the Ethernet via TCP/IP and/or serially with an ASCII string. This communication function provides the user with measurement and system monitoring capabilities.

The vision sensor's pluggable terminal block accommodates configurable inputs (NPN/PNP) and configurable outputs (NPN/PNP) and also allows stored inspections to be selected. The device's inspection tools include two locational tools. One is a "locate tool," which determines translation and rotation by detecting relative movement of edges, and the other is a "pattern find tool," which determines translation and rotation by detecting relative movement of a pattern.

Five categories of vision tools are also included. These tools perform the "image analysis" function including a "gray scale tool," which determines the average gray scale value; a "blob tool," which determines the presence, connectivity, and location of selected features; an "edge tool," which determines the presence, number, classification, and location of edges; an "object tool," which determines the presence, number, classification, size, and location of objects; and a "pattern count tool," which determines the presence, number, and location of patterns.

Two additional analysis tools measure or evaluate the results of the vision tools. A "measure tool" measures the distance between two prescribed points. These points can be either edges or centroid locations. A "test tool" evaluates results of selected vision and analysis tools to determine whether an inspection passes or fails. It also performs logical operations and activates outputs.

More information is available by contacting Banner Engineering Corp., 9714 10th Ave. N., Minneapolis, MN 55441 or calling (888) 373-6767.