Microscan along with distribution partner Axis New England, demonstrated flexible in-line inspection using the Universal Robots collaborative UR3 robotic arm and Microscans latest machine vision smart camera platform at The Vision Show 2016 at the John B. Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA, from May 3-5.

Microscan, a global technology leader in barcode, machine vision, verification, and lighting solutions, in collaboration with its distribution partner Axis New England, demonstrated flexible in-line inspection using the Universal Robots collaborative UR3 robotic arm and Microscans latest machine vision smart camera platform, previewed for the first time at The Vision Show 2016 at the John B. Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts, from May 3-5. The demo featured the worlds smallest Ethernet smart camera, slated for release from Microscan this summer 2016, inspecting a small engine for the presence of critical components.

The UR3 robot demo was setup to read a Data Matrix 2D code and inspect the presence and position of several components on a small engine, such as a choke lever and a fuel cap, to demonstrate how a single, flexible camera-based system can comprehensively address applications from barcode reading to complex inspection. In this simple demo, if the Data Matrix code was missing or obstructed the robot would receive a failed result from the smart camera and use this data to trigger an action to "shake its head" and try to read the code again. If the choke lever was released, the robot would receive a failed result based on the lever angle and would then use the robotic arm to reset the switch into position. Similarly, if the fuel cap was missing, the robot would use its gripper to pick up the cap from a programmed location and then place and secure it back onto the fuel tank.
Microscans latest machine vision smart camera platform was chosen for this demo due to its compact size and flexibility to meet the widest range of needs in terms of on-board image acquisition, vision processing and communications options. Not only are these cameras capable of high-performance barcode reading and complex vision inspection, enabling automatic identification, quality assurance and guidance applications, but they are also offer unrivaled advantages for speed, size, and precision necessary for vision-enabled robotics applications. Microscans new imaging devices are the worlds smallest smart cameras and are up to twice as fast as competitive cameras in terms of vision processing performance. In addition, these cameras feature integrated liquid lens autofocus technology for optical working distance adaptability without any manual adjustment.
Learn more about the benefits of machine vision at http://www.microscan.com/vision. To be the first to know when Microscans latest camera platform arrives, sign up at http://www.microscan.com.
About Microscan
Microscan is a global leader in barcode reading, machine vision, and verification technology serving a wide range of automation and OEM applications. Founded in 1982, Microscan has a strong history of technology innovation that includes the invention of the first laser diode barcode scanner and the 2D symbology, Data Matrix. Today, Microscan remains a leader in automatic identification and inspection with extensive solutions ranging from barcode reading, tracking, and traceability up to complex machine vision measurement, guidance, code verification, and print quality grading.
As an ISO 9001:2008 certified company recognized for quality leadership in the U.S., Microscan is known and trusted by customers worldwide as a provider of quality, high precision products. Microscan is a part of Spectris plc, the productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls company.