World-leading barcode, machine vision, and lighting solutions specialist
Microscan introduces EtherNet/IP communication to its ultra-compact machine
vision smart camera, Vision MINI Xi.
One of several cameras in Microscan’s award-winning AutoVISION machine
vision product suite, the Vision MINI Xi offers a complete solution for
high-speed identification, inspection, and various automated tasks with the
optimal size and shape for space-constrained machines.
Microscan’s Vision MINI Xi Smart Camera was launched in March with industrial
Ethernet TCP/IP to enable integration with machines designed for Ethernet
connectivity. With the release of AutoVISION 3.0.2 software, the Vision MINI Xi
now supports communication via EtherNet/IP for use in industrial environments.
Vision MINI Xi can be installed within a networked automation system
using AutoVISION’s built-in EtherNet/IP support and one-click connectivity
tool, Microscan Link to connect machine vision tools, inspection values, and
settings from the camera to PLCs and other control systems. The fully-integrated
Ethernet in machine vision smart cameras offers several unique advantages in
the communication of data from the camera to other machines networked on a
line.
Key advantages include data transmission of high-resolution images over
high-speed connections without impacting production speeds; ability to span
longer physical distances without losing transmission speed, using
point-to-point connectivity over Ethernet hubs and allowing manufacturers to
remove control systems and PCs from the floor and co-locate them in a
controlled environment; remote device management allowing tasks on the smart
camera including troubleshooting to be controlled from anywhere a network
connection is available; and saving on integration time and cost with Ethernet
devices that enable native integration with MES and ERP systems, which are
network-based and communicate over Ethernet.
Additionally, the growing use of Ethernet as the common data
transmission protocol in computers and workplaces allows data to be collected
at more points throughout the manufacturing process, enabling more tasks to be
performed in parallel, improving productivity and cycle time.
The AutoVISION family includes several options for networking systems
over EtherNet/IP, from the Vision HAWK Smart Camera with integrated liquid lens
and the Vision HAWK C-Mount Smart Camera (both featuring EtherNet/IP and
PROFINET I/O support), to the updated Vision MINI Xi Smart Camera.
Key features and advantages of the Vision MINI Xi include smallest
footprint in networked machine vision for embedded and close-range applications,
measuring 25.4mm x 45.7mm x 53.3mm and weighing 91g; world’s smallest
Ethernet-enabled smart camera for inspection, colour matching, symbol decoding,
OCR, and other vision capabilities; corner-exit cabling for flexible mounting;
serial connectivity; 24-volt interface; and optically isolated I/O.
The ideal solution for manufacturers requiring Ethernet speed and
connectivity as well as the flexibility to expand to advanced inspection tasks,
all with a single device, Vision MINI Xi machine vision cameras allow powerful
machine vision inspection capabilities to be incorporated into virtually any
environment to meet a range of dynamic requirements.
All AutoVISION hardware and software offer unique scalability and job
portability to change cameras without switching software or inspection jobs.
Users can also upgrade to Microscan’s advanced Visionscape software without
switching cameras.