Challenge: replace human fault inspection with automatic inspection of compressor components after final assembly: presence, type, position, correct assembly, damage, geometry, correlation of text and barcode content between multiple labels on the part, extract inspection parameters and tolerances for particular product from database, enable definition of new inspection profiles resulting in ~250 different types, communicate with PLC controller to assign inspection status of a part (PASS/FAIL), send FAIL parts to service station, maintain traceability log of measurement and service repairs for particular part ID, perform compete inspection within 1 second ...
Solution: Machine vision inspection station was designed to conquer the challenge. Multiple cameras, custom lighting, adjustable mechanics, processing cabinet, electronics, user interface were all designed and optimized for the task at hand. Once the part is introduces to the inspection station, LabVIEW application drives consecutive camera triggering to acquire visual information about inspection parameters, custom lighting and advanced image processing compensates for shading and reflection interference on vastly irregular surfaces... Application accesses the SQL database with measurement, service log, type definition data, integrates to PLC production line process control via DIO ... Solution helped the customer leverage inspection reliability, fortify reputation as world-wide leading compressor manufacturer, after initial successful implementation several repetitions of the system were installed throughout the factory