Posted to News on 14th Oct 2012, 15:28
How to read codes and text on moulded components
Stemmer Imaging says it has a product that enables text and codes to be read on moulded components, where traditional 2D vision systems usually cannot cope.
Automatic reading of part numbers, serial numbers and batch information formed into the surface of moulded components can be difficult using conventional 2D vision systems due to the very low contrast between the code and the component surface. However, Stemmer Imaging says that the LMI Gocator 3D smart camera can successfully image these codes, even where they are at varying heights. The image on the right shows what can be achieved on the very difficult matt-black surface of an automotive tyre wall.
Gocator line profiling sensors enable surface topography and profile data to be measured. The 3D point cloud (height map) from the Gocator can be used to inspect the dimensions (width, length and depth) and locations of the moulded characters. Codes and characters are colour-coded according to their height, for the simultaneous display of characters at varying heights on the component surface.
Height map data can be analysed and read by interfacing the Gocator to either Sherlock or Common Vision Blox (CVB) software. Sherlock is a powerful machine vision software interface from Telydyne DALSA that can be applied to a wide variety of automated inspection applications and features a full range of reader identification tools, including 1D and 2D code reading and verification and optical character recognition (OCR).
Common Vision Blox is Stemmer Imaging's own software platform for quick and reliable vision application development. This fast, powerful and modular programming library supports all common acquisition technologies. CVB search and read tools provide Optical Character Recognition, Optical Code Verification and 1D and 2D code reading.
Follow the link for more information about the LMI Gocator 3D smart camera.
