This article is part of the 7 Ways to Boost Your PLC System white paper series.

Integrating Machine Vision with Existing Systems

NI vision products integrate easily with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), programmable automation controllers (PACs), and human machine interfaces (HMIs) and work with a wide variety of cameras and imaging standards on the market, so you can choose the sensor type, resolution, and bandwidth that meets your application needs.

Figure 1. National Instruments offers hardware and software tools for vision applications.

For your inspection application requirements, National Instruments offers a range of hardware platforms, from rugged and reliable smart cameras to stand-alone embedded systems for tethered cameras to high-performance frame grabbers for PC-based systems. You can connect these systems to PLCs using digital I/O, analog I/O, and industrial communications, including Ethernet protocols Modbus/TCP, EtherNet/IP, and TCP/IP as well as RS232 and Modbus serial protocols.

To complement this hardware, NI offers two software options you can use across the entire NI vision hardware portfolio. You can configure your system with NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection, an easy-to-use, stand-alone package for machine vision, or program it using the NI Vision Development Module, a comprehensive library of imaging functions. By using a single software package across the entire NI vision hardware portfolio, you can port existing code between form factors to reduce the development time and maintenance costs associated with multiple systems.

Learn more at ni.com/vision.

Case Study: Integrated Vision and Robotics Packaging Line for Cosmetics

You can integrate vision inspection systems with PLCs and even industrial robots to completely automate a production process, as described in the following case study.

Vetraco, an established leader in the production of complete assembly and packaging lines for cosmetics, needed a system to accurately place cosmetic brushes in cosmetic powder compacts. The system had to be flexible and easy to use for the line operators because changeovers occur for different brushes and box shapes.

Vetraco contacted ImagingLab, an integrator in Italy who helps machine builders and users adopt innovative machine vision and robotics technologies. A solution was developed using NI vision tools to perform quality control by detecting defects in the powder brushes and to pick and place the acceptable brushes in the powder cases at 80 pieces per minute. For this system, a PC-based vision system with an IEEE 1394 frame grabber was integrated with a feeding mechanism that shakes to spread the brushes as well as DENSO robotic arms for the pick-and-place sorting and assembly tasks.

Figure 2. ImagingLab and Vetraco developed a cosmetic assembly line.

Read the full case study

Additional Case Studies

• High-Speed Camera System Ensures Sanitary Product Quality
• Incandescent Glass Inspection with Machine Vision at the Molding Stage with NI LabVIEW

How to Boost Your PLC System with Vision

From ensuring the correct assembly of automotive components to inspecting the labels on pharmaceutical packaging, machine vision has proven to be a valuable component in many automation applications. Consider an integrated vision platform for adding this key functionality to your system. For more information, please visit the following resources:

• NI Vision Resources
• Five Things to Consider for Your Complete Vision Solutions
• Ten Considerations When Choosing Vision Software
• Specifying the Appropriate Hardware for Your Visual Inspections
• NI Vision Resources Kit