SIMATIC Machine Vision Industrial image processing from Siemens

Application specific image processing

• Intelligent vision sensor SIMATIC VS 110

• Specially designed for the application „outline recognition“

• Image processing as Plug & Play solution

• No image processing expert needed

• Ideal also for machine builders and end users

SIMATIC VS 110 - Ready to Use

• Complete scope of supply

• Sensor head (camera) with a pre-adjusted lens

• Processing unit

• Lighting unit (infrared)

• Fast installation

• Set-up software for PC, for precise adjustment

• Simple teaching – no programming!

• Push key – move „Good“ part through the range of vision like in operation – teach-in is done!

Outline inspection

• SIMATIC VS 110 solves three tasks in a single step

• Correct part?
• Correctly aligned?
• And undamaged?

• SIMATIC VS 110 compares the contour of the

• test objects with the taught „Good“ part

Range of application

• Inspection of small parts

• in infeed systems for assembly machines

• and many other conveyor-type applications

• Type recognition to prevent mixing with different parts
• Faulty or damaged parts can be ejected
• Correct parts that are reversed can be rotated

How does SIMATIC VS 110 work?

Which test objects can be inspected?

• Small parts

• from 4 x 4 x 1 mm to 59 x 45 x 20 mm
• must pass by in one or two distinctive views

• Features relevant for inspection

• must be clearly recognizable in the contour

• Typical examples:

• Screws, bolts: Type recognition, thread present?
• Injection-molded components: Test objects correctly formed, correctly aligned for infeed?
• Pharmaceutical products: Tablets correctly formed/broken?
• Confectionary: Sweets or chocolates correctly formed/mis-shaped?

Which types of conveyor can be used?

• Various different infeed systems

• Vibrating conveyors (spiral and linear systems, ...)
• Conveyor belts
• Workholder carousels
• Gripper units (pick-and-place, robots)

• Fast processing technique

• Up to 25 processings per second (under certain conditions even more )
• at transport speeds of up to 15 m/min

What test results does SIMATIC VS 110 supply?

• Output OK_A

• good part in view A

• Output OK_B

• good part in view B

• Output NOK

• Faulty or damaged part, resp.
• good part in wrong view (i.e. in different view than the taught ones)

Where do the „Bad“ parts go?

• Pneumatic valves or miniature relays can be directly activated

• for ejecting or rotating the test objects
• Time response of the outputs is adjustable for manipulation at the correct point of the process

• Ejection by

• Blast nozzle
• Pneumatic cylinder
• Magnet or
• Downstream PLC with separate ejection control

Application example 1 - Conveyor belt with blast nozzles

• Application with auto triggering

• Ejection of the incorrect parts by blast nozzles
• Conveyor belt with constant speed
• Direct activation of the valves, without an additional PLC

Application example 2 - Workholder carousels

• Application with external triggering

• Ejection of the incorrect parts by a separate PLC, e.g. SIMATIC S7-200
• Connection to the PLC via digital I/O of SIMATIC VS 110

Application example 3 - Rhein Nadel Automation infeed system

• Vibrating conveyor container with conveyor belt

• Ejection of faulty parts
• Correct parts that are reversed are blown back into the container

Installation within 30 minutes!

• Mounting of the sensor, processing unit and lighting unit according to the installation instructions

• Start the set-up software on a Windows PC, connect the PC to the processing unit

• Accurately adjust the sensor head and the lighting unit - with the support of the live image on the PC screen

• Permanently fix the sensor head and the lighting unit

• Ready for teach-in!

Teaching instead of programming

• Teaching by showing „Good“ parts in one or two preferred views

• Teach-in is performed

• directly with the keys on the processing unit or
• in the case of remote teach-in via a PLC
• A new type can be taught during normal manufacturing!

• Up to 15 different parts are stored in non-volatile memory in the processing unit

Technical data - Processing unit and sensor head

Technical data - Lighting unit

Customer advantages (1)

• 100% check of all parts in the production

• Reduced machine downtime
• Higher availability of the machines

• Higher flexibility

• Fast changeover of the infeed system for different batches and types

Customer advantages(2)

• Low-priced solution

• Low initial and running costs
• Reduction of the mechanical and electrical expenses (no mech. baffle plates, no binary sensors)

• No special courses, no programming needed

• Mounting, commissioning and service with existing personnel
• Operation by the machine personnel