An appliance and method for automated visual inspection of at least two items from different categories, on a production line, include automatically switching between an item profile of a first of the at least two items for inspection; and an item profile of a second of the at least two items for inspection, based on detection of the first item in an image of the production line.

An injection molding machine which includes a mold clamping device (20) that opens and closes a mold (90) and clamps the closed mold, an injection device (30) that injects a material into the clamped mold, and an ejecting device (21) that ejects a molded product (100) molded in the mold is provided. The injection molding machine further includes a plurality of cameras (2) that photograph the injection molding machine to generate image data, a memory (6) that records the image data, an input device that sets at least one photographing time by selecting the start or end of each process in a molding cycle, and a control device that controls the camera to photograph the injection molding machine at the at least one photographing time, and controls the memory to record the image data.

Due to rapid advancement in computing technology of both hardware and software, the labor intensive sewing process has been transformed into a technology-intensive automated process. During an automated process, processing of a work piece can be visually monitored using a sensor system. Data gathered from the sensor system can be used to infer the condition and/or position of the work piece in the work area using, e.g., models of a sensor profile. Evaluation can be carried out before processing begins, during processing and/or after processing of the work piece. Examples of systems and methods are described that provide for initially and successively matching the model of the expected shape for a product work piece to a set of sensor readings of the work piece in order to determine the position of the work piece and support a variety of useful features.

Inspection apparatus includes an imaging module, which is configured to capture images of defects at different, respective locations on a sample. A processor is coupled to process the images so as to automatically assign respective classifications to the defects, and to autonomously control the imaging module to continue capturing the images responsively to the assigned classifications.

The invention relates to a method for operating a pass-through machine (1), in particular a pass-through machine which is provided for use in the manufacture of furniture and components, and to a pass-through machine. In the method, a supplied workpiece (W) is first detected and/or identified using a workpiece detection device (20); handling information (HI) is then output using an information device (30) on the basis of the detected information of the workpiece detection device (20); whereupon an operator of the pass-through machine (1) carries out a handling process on or with the workpiece (W) according to the output handling information (HI); and the handled workpiece (W) is then supplied to a machining device (50) of the pass-through machine (1) using a supply device (80).

Due to rapid advancement in computing technology of both hardware and software, the labor intensive sewing process has been transformed into a technology-intensive automated process. During an automated process, processing of a work piece can be visually monitored using a sensor system. Data gathered from the sensor system can be used to infer the condition and/or position of the work piece in the work area using, e.g., models of a sensor profile. Evaluation can be carried out before processing begins, during processing and/or after processing of the work piece. Examples of systems and methods are described that provide for initially and successively matching the model of the expected shape for a product work piece to a set of sensor readings of the work piece in order to determine the position of the work piece and support a variety of useful features.

A machine control device includes an imaging control unit that controls an imaging device to capture two images at two different imaging positions; an imaging position information acquiring unit that acquires positional information of two imaging positions; a measurement distance restoring unit that restores a measurement distance of an object based on two images, distance information between two imaging positions, and a parameter of the imaging device, by using a stereo camera method; a measurement precision calculating unit that calculates a measurement precision of the measurement distance of the object based on two images, the distance information between two imaging positions, and the parameter of the imaging device; an area specifying unit that specifies a partial area of the object as a specified area; and a measurement precision determining unit that determines whether the measurement precision of the object satisfies a predetermined precision in the specified area.

A numerical control system includes an image processing device that performs image processing on images captured by an imaging device and a numerical controller. The numerical controller includes a program analysis unit and a storage unit that stores operation control information of the machine, the imaging device, and the image processing device in a format that can be read and written by the program analysis unit. The numerical control system includes a conversion unit that converts commands or the operation control information stored in the storage unit to image processing input items which are setting values of a format that can be recognized by the imaging device and the image processing device and converts image processing output items which are the results of the image processing from the image processing device to operation control information of a format that can be recognized by the program analysis unit.

A numerical controller capable of reducing labor of an operator's operation in measuring a workpiece controls a machine tool equipped with an imaging device capable of outputting three-dimensional coordinates of a designated position in a captured image and a measuring instrument measuring physical quantity concerning a shape of the installed workpiece. The numerical controller includes a user interface unit displaying the image captured by the imaging device and accepting operation of designating an index point in the image that is an index used when the measuring instrument measures the physical quantity concerning the shape of the workpiece, a program generation unit analyzing the image and coordinates of the index point to narrow down measurement item candidates concerning the workpiece measurement, and generating a program for giving instructions on the measurement operation based on the three-dimensional coordinates of the index point and a measurement item selected from the measurement item candidates, and an execution unit executing the program.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a surface (1) of interest of a part (2) by means of a camera (3) intended to be mounted on a robot (4), the camera (3) comprising a sensor and optics associated with an optical centre C, an angular aperture alpha and a depth of field PC and defining a sharpness volume (6), this method comprising the following operations: loading a three-dimensional virtual model of the surface (1); generating a three-dimensional virtual model of the volume of sharpness (6); paving the model of the surface (1) by means of a plurality of unit models of said three-dimensional virtual model of the volume of sharpness (6); for each position of said unit models (6), calculating the corresponding position, called the acquisition position, of the camera (3).