Machine Vision Cameras in the Automotive Industry
Max Reijngoudt
In today’s competitive manufacturing landscape, machine vision cameras in the automotive industry are playing a vital role in advancing quality control and inspection. From detecting microscope defects to verifying paint application, these systems help manufacturers achieve greater efficiency and reduce material waste. This article explores how a Near Infrared (NIR)-based machine vision setup featuring VA Imaging’s high-performance components was successfully implemented for inspecting automotive parts with unmatched precision.
Table of contents
Inspecting Defects for the Automotive Industry Using NIR Imaging
One of the more unique types of products that VA-Imaging has to offer is Near Infrared Components and in certain cases, these components can become an essential part of an inspection system. Moreover, since companies in the automotive industry are constantly looking for ways to upgrade the efficiency and quality of their manufacturing processes, machine vision cameras are becoming a more common sight. More specifically, industrial cameras are used for applications such as defect inspection, paint and coating inspection, and material imperfection detection because the possibility of detecting even the smallest mistake in an automotive part will push forward high reliability in developed products and will help companies reduce costs.
In this article, we will cover a NIR-based machine vision setup, which was used for automotive parts inspection. The setup mentioned includes the ME2P-530-72U3M-NIR camera, a VA-LCM-25MP-08MM-F2.8-110 lens, and a NIR-led spot.
Selecting the Best Machine Vision Camera
For the first step, the customer decided to choose a camera around which the rest of the setup was built. The main criterion, which mattered to the customer was that the component needed to be capable of seeing the smallest detail of at least 1.3mm in a FOV of 1000x790mm.
Therefore, based on these specifications, and the fact that the distance from the PC to the camera had to be less than 4.7 meters, the ME2P 530-72U3M-NIR camera was recommended. This is a Monochrome Near-Infrared 5.3-megapixel camera, which is equipped with the Python5000 sensor and has a resolution of 2592x2048 pixels. Furthermore, it is a global shutter camera, that also has a framerate of 72fps. Moreover, these types of monochrome near-infrared cameras are particularly designed to be used for detecting surface defects that cannot be seen under standard lighting conditions while at the same time, the global shutter will ensure that motion blur is minimized when inspecting moving parts.
Choosing the Correct Industrial Lens
Secondly, the customer was advised to proceed with choosing a industrial lens for their setup. Therefore, by identifying what would be the actual needed Field of View at a required working distance of 651mm, the VA-LCM-25MP-08MM-F2.8-110 lens was proposed.
This lens is an ideal addition to the automotive parts inspection system since the 1.1 lens image format is compatible with the camera’s sensor, the 8mm focal length ensures that the needed field of view of around 1000x790mm is achieved and the F2.8 aperture, allows the setup to have sufficient light transmission for NIR imaging. Moreover, with this lens and camera, the inspection setup achieved the needed specifications to detect defects as small as 1.3mm at the requested working distance while still maintaining a sharp and distortion-free image.
Choosing the Lighting Solution for NIR-Based Automotive Inspection
In machine vision applications, which especially focus on defect detection, lighting plays a critical role, and this case was no exception. To enhance the automotive parts inspection system and maximize defect visibility, the VA-SL-90x80-IR NIR-led spots were added to the setup.
By using NIR-led spots several advantages were achieved for the application. Firstly, the contrast of the scanned material imperfections was improved, which made it easier for the system to identify cracks, contaminations, and structural irregularities. Secondly, the lighting helped in achieving better penetration of coatings and surfaces of the layers, which made defects more visible when compared to inspecting them with a normal visible light.
Furthermore, NIR solutions are especially effective when it comes to paint and coating inspections since these types of setups enhance the possibilities of detecting inconsistencies such as paint thickness and incorrect coatings that can be easily missed under standard lighting
Software for the Application – Daheng Imaging SDK
For the software side of the application, the customer decided to use the free Software Development Kit from Daheng Imaging. The SDK was a good option for this application since it provides the user with the possibility of easily setting up parameters such as exposure time and supports various programming languages like the one used in this application – Python. By using this software, the client was able to easily integrate his developed system, while taking into consideration the needed requirements for the setup.
Usage of the Inspection System
Furthermore, to provide a deeper understanding of how the setup was used by the customer in the automotive manufacturing atmosphere, this part of the article provides a short overview of the objectives the user achieved while using this system. Those objectives were as follows:
- To identify unevenly applied paint, which leads to having inconsistencies in the gloss and thickness of the automotive parts.
- Picking up on contaminants, which were negatively affecting the surface of the produced products.
- Noticing irregularities like micro-cracks on the manufactured pieces.
In the end, by using the ME2P-530-72U3M-NIR camera, VA-LCM-25MP-08MM-F2.8-110 lens, and NIR
LED spot lighting, the manufacturer achieved a significant increase in speed regarding defect detection and by leaving less room for mistakes, reduced material waste.
NIR Setup Usage in Other Automotive Industry Applications
Apart from inspecting cracks, paint, and coating, this type of setup can be used in various other automotive applications, such as:
With a well-advised machine vision setup, a lot of issues can be resolved in the automotive industry while also gaining an upper hand in efficiency.
Need Help with Choosing a Machine Vision Solution?
If you are planning to develop your own inspection system or are exploring how to implement machine vision cameras in the automotive industry, our experts are here to help. Whether you need guidance on selecting the right industrial camera, choosing the optimal lens, or designing an effective lighting setup, we can assist you in building a reliable and high-performance machine vision solution tailored to your automotive application. Don’t hesitate to contact us for personalized support.
