Machine Vision Applications

Industrial Automation

• Get the networking flexibility you need
• Move PCs off the factory floor
• Get rid of frame grabbers

Vision systems for product inspection, quality control, assembly, and other demanding industrial applications are often hampered by the point-to-point links, short cable reaches, and high cost of Camera LinkŪ and LVDS camera-to-PC connectivity equipment.

Cameras and host PCs must be connected directly by cables no longer than 10-20 meters unless equipped with costly custom boards and fiber extenders. This means PCs often reside in harsh or dangerous factory environments, adding complexity and cost to maintenance. Typically, each camera needs its own PC and frame grabber, driving up costs further and leaving little room to improve system efficiencies through networking.

Pleora's networked video connectivity solutions eliminate these issues by allowing cameras to exchange imaging and control data with PCs in real time over standard GigE networks. Our iPORT™ IP engines deliver deterministic, low-latency, and highly reliable connections between cameras and PCs over 100 meters of standard LAN cable. With low-cost switches, the reach extends even further. An advanced PLC (programmable logic controller) handles virtually any automation requirement.

Pleora's iPORT engines support a range of Ethernet network configurations, from traditional camera-to-PC links to large multicast deployments where multiple cameras send data simultaneously to multiple PCs for real-time processing.

Video from the GigE Vision cameras in the gantry is streamed in real time to the GigE switch and multicast to the rack-mounted PCs. Each PC analyzes the video for a different type of defect. Results are forwarded to the master controller PC, which aggregates the results and sends grading instructions to the GigE Vision stamping device.