Machine Visionas a solution to the shortage of skilled workers?

The image acquisition process in the CNC machine is not trivial and requires robust hardware and good planning in advance. Suitable positioning and lighting must be found to avoid reflections and dark shadows. In addition, the camera system must be positioned in such a way that sufficient image quality with deep contrast and clear edges is guaranteed. One or more cameras with onboard intelligence are integrated into the CNC machine room. These are responsible for providing optimal images using adaptive HDR and multi-focus methods. Intelligent object recognition and pose estimation using artificial neural networks uses these images to identify and localize the objects in the CNC machine room. The AI models are trained with large amounts of training data that are procedurally generated from CAD models. After identifying and reconstructing the position of all objects in the CNC machine room, a three-dimensional digital model is created that can be used for a collision simulation based on the actual situation.

The project has only just begun and will run for another two years, but we are already very excited about the results. Who knows, maybe smart cameras will soon be an integral part of CNC machines.