Machine Vision Applications Within A Manufacturing Engineering Technology Program

Abstract

The implementation and usage of industrial automation is undergoing major and rapid changes. This change is driven by the need for industry both remain competitive in their cost structure and to increase the levels of quality and consistency in the products that are produced. Today, companies can implement automation at a reasonable price, through advances in sensor technology, networking capabilities, microprocessor design, open architecture for machine controls, Internet applications in machine control, and standardized software. During the past few years, the acquisition cost of vision inspection systems has dropped to levels that permit most companies to purchase and implement the systems. In addition, with the advent of faster computer processors, the vision system is software controlled, and thus the applications are increased. Vision systems provide means by which continuous and total autonomous inspection can be achieved during production. Today's vision systems can easily control guidance of automated manufacturing support components such as robots, as well as interface to sensors and output to auxiliary devices. The Department of Technology at Northern Illinois University has recognized these needs and challenges and has responded by strengthening its curriculum and adding new relevant areas in its automation courses such as machine vision. Within our automation course, basics principles of vision are covered, including camera systems, basic optics, lighting, and image capturing and processing. A key component in this section of the automation course is the hands on experience in which student teams use and apply the vision systems components and software in an automation cell. In addition, the students are taught the principles of vision integration with other control devices, such as PLC's and robotics. From this level of automation instruction, the department has generated much interest in the students, as well as much industrial collaboration with companies in the Northern Illinois region.

A Laboratory Based Programmable Logic Controller (Plc) Course For A Manufacturing Curriculum

“…The NIU Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MET) program has been in the process of revising its curriculum to reflect needed industry skills 12 . Through feedback from Departmental industrial advisory boards, several areas were identified for improvement or incorporation into the curriculum.…”

Vision-based Object Tracking Experiment for Students to Perform Simple Industrial Robotic Automation

“…The user can alter the serstyle parameter of the jevois::StdModule to format the serial messages being received. The precision of the serial message being sent can be changes by using the serprec parameter of the StdModule with serprec being 0 for integer, 1 for float numbers with one decimal position and 2 for precision up to two decimal points 4 . A walkthrough about programming in JEvois and about the above-mentioned serial communication is provided to the students.…”

“…Some typical applications with vision systems are work piece identification, work piece positioning, work piece dimension measurement, position compensation, surface painting, and vision tracking. Therefore, there is a need to introduce vision system technology to the students who are interested in advanced manufacturing engineering and technology [4][5] .…”

Development Of A Low Cost Laboratory System For Teaching Automation System Integration In The Manufacturing Engineering Technology Curriculum

“…From this board, the results of the vision inspection can be electronically send to another I/O system or used for other control purposes. Details of how this has been incorporated in NIU's Technology program have been presented elsewhere 4 .…”

“…Through this cell the students are instructed on several areas of automation. A number of cameras already installed independently in the lab 4 are used for experiments on machine vision. The students acquire skills on usage of vision and the integration of vision with other components.…”