General
powertools by iv-industry™2.0 provides a collection of new inspection tools within Cognex ® EasyBuilder software version 4.3 (or newer). The new tool set utilizes every portion of the easy to use development environment - for quick system deployment.
Tool Collection
Spot Inspect & SpotMx Flexible: Indentify spots within a trained region
A teachable tool that allows template images to be retrained during production with the use of a digital input. Flexible for applications requiring changes in shape and scale.
Spot Inspect
Often used where quality is critical and detection of anomalies is the requirement. These anomalies could be differences in color or area – but may not be presented to the camera as a particular shape or profile. Anomalies (or "flaws") are specified by their size and changes in contrast.
SpotMx Flexible
This tools works similar to Spot Inspect, but includes the ability to relocate and rescale the trained image to fit the presented part. This works well in applications that allow changes in shape or size because they can not be tightly controlled, like a print. In this example, a DATE Code is printed on every label. Changes in location can be compensated for using a typical pattern tool in combination with Spot Inspect. However, changes in speed during the print process cause the code to stretch out. The SpotMx accounts for this by
resizing itself according to what it sees. If any part of a character is missing, the tool fails the inspection.
Bead Inspect: Measures a continuous bead-like feature for uniform thickness and breaks
Available in line (or arc) form, as well as various resolutions – this tool measures slices of a feature. Consecutive failed measurements can be identified for a more positive failure identification.
Bead Inspect
Often used in dispensing applications to verify integrity of the material being dispensed. Characteristics of the bead (such as; location, width, and length) can be checked with the Bead Inspect Tool. Breaks (or missing glue) can also be identified. Parameters include the ability to change the number of scans (or intervals) the tool uses – which can be used to control the sensitivity.
Vernier Caliper: Measures an object’s internal or external dimensions using a set of virtual jaws
The tool mimics use of a real Vernier Caliper, where the results can be greatly influenced by the presentation angle or an object’s irregular shape. High and low points of the object can be located anywhere along the object’s surface… the tool will find them!
Vernier Caliper
Used to gauge parts of irregular shapes and sizes. The Vernier Caliper tool is designed to mimic a real set of calipers, in the sense that the angle of presentation and points of contact are most influencing factor of the result. A part’s minimum or maximum width can be found, even when the points are not perfectly aligned with one another. Mean Thickness and Min/Max Delta results are also produced by the tool.
Find Point: A positioning tool used to locate the high or low point along an object’s edge
While a region is placed over part of the object, edge points closest or furthest from a reference line are identified. The tool mimics use of a straight edge while it is slid up against an object and stops at the first touching point.
Find Point
A good fit for locating the tip of an object for the positioning of other tools or to be used as a measurement point. This tool was designed for identifying the tips of needles, which normally require the use of 3 or more tools.
Color: A group of tools used to count, gauge, and locate for color applications
Includes a Color Blob tool that identifies blobs of a trained color, a Color Pixel Count tool that counts pixels of a trained color, and a Color Monitoring Tool used to watch and limit changes in the RGB and HSI color channels.
Color Pixel Count
The Color Pixel Count tool is used for presence / absence detection of material of a specific color, but does not have a specific shape. The Color Pixel Count tool provides a fast and flexible method of measuring the amount the color found. Unlike the Color Blob tool, the pixels do not have to be grouped together. This is helpful in applications where hot reflections may influence a pattern of blob tool. Color Blob
The Color Blob Tool can be used to count the number of objects of a specific color on certain In-Sight models that have a color CCD sensor (model numbers ending in the letter “C”). Applications that use these models are typically needed for multiple color reasons – since a monochrome camera can be designed with colored lighting and filtering to extract one single color. A color camera allows you to identify and measure all of the visible colors at the same time. The Color Blob tool utilizes the three basic color channels inside the color image (Red, Green, & Blue) and any of their combinations.
Color Monitor
Used for quality verification or color grading; the Color Monitor Tool provides an easy and fast method of gauging color information. This is performed by measuring each color channel (Red, Green, Blue or Hue, Saturation, Intensity) against a trained color with individual Channel Threshold settings. This configuration allows the most amount of user control over the inspection.
NEW! Multi-Point: A group of tools used to create and work with arrays.
Includes a Multi-Point tool that produces an array of edge points, a Fit Shape tool for creating lines or circles using a best-fit algorithm on an array, and a Distance tool which manages and reports multiple point distances to a referenced circle, line, or point.
Multi-Point
Search along a region for multiple edge points and produce an array of points, quickly and with the one single tool. The Mulit-Point tool can be used for locating gear teeth or the straightness of an edge. Point information is used in conjunction with other tools for measurement analysis and/or counting. The Distance and Fit tools are deployed separately to allow maximum flexibility for solving the inspection.
Fit Shape to Multi-Point
Created for use with the Multi-Point tool: the Fit Shape tool can construct a Line or a Circle from the referenced tool's results.
Distance to Multi-Point
Gear teeth, circle quality, circle eccentricity, edge straightness, and more... The Distance tool is typically used for quality control, where multiple measurements should be grouped into a single tool.
Camera Compatibility Chart
The powertools 2.0 add-on requires your camera to have firmware version 4.3 (or greater). Not all In-Sight models are compatible; please check the chart below to find out which models will run the tool you need.
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In-Sight® 5000 Series Vision Systems
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In-Sight® Micro Vision Systems
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Cognex® VisionView
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Spot Inspect: Indentifies defects within a trained region
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Yes - Excluding Fixed-mount ID Readers Note1
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Yes - Excluding 1020 and Fixed-mount IDReaders Note1
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Yes
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Bead Inspect: Measures a continuous bead-like feature for uniform thickness and breaks
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Yes - Excluding Fixed-mount ID Readers
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Yes - Excluding 1020 and Fixed-mount ID Readers
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Yes
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Vernier Caliper: Measures an object’s internal or external dimensions using a set of virtual jaws
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Yes - Excluding Fixed-mount ID Readers
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Yes - Excluding 1020 and Fixed-mount ID Readers
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Yes
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Find Point: A positioning tool used to locate the high or low point along an object’s edge.
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Yes - Excluding Fixed-mount ID Readers
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Yes - Excluding 1020 and Fixed-mount ID Readers
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Yes
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Color: A group of tools used to count, gauge, and locate for color applications.
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Color models 5100C & 5400C only
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Color models 1100C, 1400C, & 1403C
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Yes
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Multi-Point: A group of tools used to create and work with arrays. |
Yes - Excluding Fixed-mount ID Readers |
Yes - Excluding 1020 and Fixed-mount ID Readers |
Yes
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Note 1: Spot Inspect Flexible requires Cognex® In-Sight® Vision Systems with part number ending in -10.
Some photographs are the property of Cognex Corporation. Reprinted with permission
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