I. INTRODUCTION
With the continuous progress of science and technology and the arrival of industry 4.0 era, industrial automation has become an important trend of modern industrial production. And machine vision technology, as one of the key technologies in industrial automation, is playing an increasingly important role. Machine vision technology uses equipment such as cameras and computers to collect, process and analyze images, so as to realize the function of identifying, detecting, measuring and controlling targets. In this paper, the definition, principle, characteristics of machine vision technology and its application in industrial automation will be elaborated in detail.
II. Definition and principle of machine vision technology
Definition
Machine vision technology is a kind of technology that uses equipment such as cameras and computers to collect, process and analyze images, so as to realize the identification, detection, measurement and control of targets. It simulates the working principle of the human visual system, so that the machine can "see" and respond accordingly to achieve automated control and intelligent operation.
Principle
The principle of machine vision technology mainly includes three aspects of image acquisition, image processing and image analysis.
(1) Image Acquisition: Through the camera and other equipment to shoot the target, the target's appearance information is converted into digital signals to form a digital image. In this process, factors such as the choice of light source, camera resolution and frame rate will affect the quality of the image.
(2) Image processing: pre-processing, enhancement, filtering and other operations are carried out on the collected digital images to extract the feature information of the target and prepare for the subsequent analysis and recognition. Image processing is the core link of machine vision technology, and its effect directly affects the subsequent recognition and analysis results.
(3) Image analysis: use computer vision algorithms to analyze the processed image to realize the recognition, detection, measurement and control of the target. The commonly used algorithms in this process include edge detection, feature extraction, pattern recognition and so on.
III. Characteristics of machine vision technology
High precision: machine vision technology through high-resolution cameras and advanced image processing algorithms, can realize the accurate identification and positioning of target objects, to meet the requirements of industrial automation on the accuracy.
High speed: compared with the traditional manual inspection method, machine vision system can complete a large number of inspection tasks in a short time, and the processing speed is extremely fast, which can meet the real-time requirements of the production line.
Automation and Intelligence: Machine vision system can automatically complete the tasks of identification, positioning, tracking and decision-making of target objects through preset programs and algorithms, realizing automation and intelligent operation.
Flexibility and expandability: machine vision system adopts modularized design, which can be flexibly configured and expanded according to different application requirements. Meanwhile, more complex production tasks can be realized by linkage with other equipment.
Reliability and stability: The machine vision system adopts standardized algorithms and processes, which can ensure that the results of each inspection and processing are consistent. At the same time, the system also has a long time stable operation and self-diagnosis function, which improves the reliability and stability of the system.
IV. Application of machine vision technology in industrial automation
Automated production line
In the automated production line, machine vision technology is widely used in the field of quality inspection. Through the perception ability of machine vision system, various materials in the production process can be detected, such as the size, shape and color of electronic products. At the same time, it can also detect surface defects, cracks, blemishes, etc. to ensure the quality of products. For example, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, the machine vision system can detect defects and impurities on the chip to ensure that the product quality meets the requirements.
Industrial Robotics
In the field of industrial robots, machine vision technology can realize the motion path planning and attitude control of robots to improve the accuracy and speed of robots. In addition, machine vision technology can also play an important role in the visual navigation and obstacle detection of industrial robots. Through the recognition ability of the machine vision system, various items can be classified and sorted to improve the efficiency and precision of logistics warehousing. For example, in the field of logistics warehousing, machine vision systems can realize automated sorting and classification, greatly improving efficiency and accuracy.
Object Sorting
Object sorting is an important application direction of machine vision technology. Through the machine vision system will image processing, combined with the use of robotic arm to realize product sorting. This application is widely used in industrial production, such as material distribution on automated production lines, product packaging and so on. Machine vision technology can accurately identify different objects and guide the robotic arm to carry out precise operation, realizing the efficiency and intelligence of industrial production.
Image Inspection
Image inspection is another important application field of machine vision technology. In production life, every product needs to be inspected whether it is qualified or not. The traditional manual inspection method is inefficient and prone to errors, while machine vision technology can realize high-speed and accurate inspection. For example, in the field of coin character detection, circuit board detection, etc., machine vision technology can quickly identify the unqualified products, which improves the detection efficiency and product quality.
V. Conclusion
Machine vision technology as one of the key technologies in industrial automation, its high precision, high speed, automation and intelligent features make it play an increasingly important role in industrial production. In the future, with the continuous development and innovation of technology, machine vision technology will play a more important role in the field of industrial automation and promote industrial production to a higher level.