How Can Machine Vision Help the Manufacturing Industry?
Every item produced in the factory must go through a check first. It is intended that all goods sold to consumers are of good quality following established standards.
In small scale business, checking is usually done by humans. But imagine if the goods that the factory produces have reached thousands per day. It would be difficult for human resources to check these items constantly for a long time. The costs incurred for quality checking are quite large because it requires a lot of human labor.
For this reason, today’s manufacturing uses machine vision to help the quality check process. A machine vision can inspect hundreds or thousands of parts per minute.
What is Machine Vision?
According to the Automated Imaging Association (AIA), machine vision includes all industrial and non-industrial applications that are a combination of hardware and software. The function of machine vision is to provide operational guidance to the device in carrying out its functions based on image capture and processing.
A machine vision system built around the right camera resolution and optics can easily inspect object details too small to be seen by the human eye. In removing physical contact between a test system and the parts being tested, machine vision prevents part damage and eliminates the maintenance time and costs associated with wear and tear on mechanical components.
In Manufacturing, Machine vision also does dangerous work. “Machine vision brings additional safety and operational benefits by reducing human involvement in a manufacturing process,” said Muhammad Adib Arif Hartadi, MME SGU Alumni & Deputy Manager, PT. JST Indonesia. Adib was the speaker in the Engineers Talk entitled “Application of Machine Vision in Industry” which was held by the Master of Mechanical Engineering, Swiss German University.
Here are some of the advantages of using Machine Vision in Manufacturing:
- Higher Quality and Increased Productivity
Machine vision can do work stably and at high speed. Also, machine vision is capable of doing work with object dimensions that are so small that it has to be done manually using a microscope. Machine vision also reduces the lag time between production and inspection processes.
- Lower cost
Machine vision costs vary widely depending on the level of difficulty, speed, and others. However, if the quantity produced by the industry is very large, then the use of machine vision will affect cost efficiency.
- Scrap rate reduction
The production process usually has several stages. Machine vision can help us to check the goods produced at each of these stages. If the item does not pass at a certain stage, it will not be processed further. This method will save more costs than if the examination has been carried out at the final stage.
- Reduced floor space
Machine vision is very efficient and takes up less space. This is very helpful to save land use. Especially if the factory is established in an industrial area where land prices are expensive.
Implementation in Industry
Machine vision has now been implemented in industries in Indonesia. Some examples of machine vision applications include:
- Automotive
Machine vision is used to check the completeness of the car or motorbike being produced. For example, to check whether all the bolts used are complete and placed in the right place or not.
- Food and Beverage Industry
Machine vision can check whether the volume of drinks in each bottle is following the set standard or not. Thus, each bottle has the same volume. Machine vision can also be used to check the label on each package.
- Pharmacy
Machine vision can check if any drugs are missing in one sheet of package. Also, machine vision can quickly detect if the medicine is broken or damaged.
- Electronic
Electronic products usually have a board consisting of complex micro components. Machine vision helps check the quality of the board so that it can detect if there are components that are incomplete or damaged.
About SGU
SWISS GERMAN UNIVERSITY (SGU) is an international university in Indonesia, was established in 2000 as a joint effort between Indonesia, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. We are the pioneer in offering international curricula in Indonesia.
Qualified students can graduate with a Double Degree from Indonesia and Germany, which SGU provides in cooperation with partner universities; surely a valuable tool for your future careers. Ever since its establishment, SGU has been dedicated to delivering quality education in line with international standards and aims to develop skilled professionals who meet the demands of the industry. To achieve its objectives, SGU offers quality-oriented learning through 12 Bachelor’s Degree Programs and 4 Master’s Degree Programs ranging from Engineering, Information Technology, and Business to Life Sciences and Social Sciences. Furthermore, with small class sizes, and with English as the medium of instruction, you can look forward to pursuing your tertiary education and degree with full confidence.
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