Recent technological inventions have had a major impact on the manufacturing industry, helping to increase efficiency and reduce cost. At the forefront of this tide of innovation has been machine vision systems which help to automate the inspection and rectification process. In doing so, the consistency of quality of products is improved, while early corrections to defects lead to lower operational cost.

While there is a wide variety of vision systems and their components on the market, but they can be mainly sorted into two main categories. The first one is called a smart camera which has a single sensor embedded on it. The second one is called multi-vision system, which has one or more sensors attached to it.

Smart Camera

The smart camera can be used in a wide variety of industries due to its air-tight body. This self-containment trait allows it to work in less than ideal conditions, such as dust filled environments or where risk of water splashing exist. These environmental conditions would wreck ordinary cameras. Another benefit of a smart camera is its relatively easier installation process and user interface for non-programmers. As such, in certain situations, a smart camera may be more cost effective compared to a multi-vision system. Thirdly, a smart camera can be modified or replaced without affecting other components in the system.

Multi-vision System

This is also known as the compact vision system. What makes it different from a smart camera is that it is made up of a combination of the following:

• Processor
• Industrial communication interface
• Multi-cameras support

The Multi-vision system is capable of more complex tasks and thus can be customized further to meet specific business needs. However, its installation requires complex coding and thus may be quite costly to new businesses.

What To Choose

From the comparison presented above, smart cameras tend to be more ideal for small business operations. However, if you are planning to go big in the production and manufacture, the better option is to go for a multi-vision system. Nonetheless, many other factors such as environmental conditions and future business development plans should also be take into consideration.

To receive more in depth advice, consider talking to a vision system professional who will be able to properly evaluate your needs and thereafter suggest the appropriate system to install. At the same time, you can also ask the supplier of these vision systems as to the capabilities and specifications of all their products.