• Complete product
offering for addressing the unique requirements associated with
automating fiberoptic production processes
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Integrated motion, vision, and power-scanning capabilities for
rapid application development
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Program in VB/C/C++ or use AeroBasic to quickly debug, prototype,
and deploy vision-assisted applications
•
Application-specific toolkits for various fiber alignment applications
including cameras, lenses, and lighting
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Fast Object Position Tracking with upward scalable hardware options
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Standard and non-standard cameras can be interfaced with various
hardware options
 Aerotech's
new vision and motion toolkit is designed for rapid prototyping
with end users, systems integrators and
OEMs
in mind. Experienced vision and motion engineers, as well as first
time users, can begin rapid prototyping  immediately
with AeroVision. AeroVision can be easily applied to any combined
vision and motion application such as pick and place, part identification,
measurements, etc., and also can be used to supplement or replace
virtual toolpoint transforms.
Aerotech has developed a suite of vision tools enabling the rapid
debug, prototyping, and deployment of vision-assisted fiberoptic
or other automation applications. The tools are seamlessly integrated
with Aerotech's motion development tools. Applications can be
created in Visual Basic, C, and C++. Fibers, arrays, collimators,
etc., are typically located and aligned using the included vision
tools. Customers already using other machine vision libraries
can quickly integrate our motion control code sections into their
existing MMI to take advantage of our
power scanning and nano-positioning.
AeroVision's
machine vision tools are based on the Matrox Imaging Library™
(MIL) and the Matrox Inspector interactive Windows™ imaging
software. Both are industry-leading image processing packages
with advanced high-level tools for determining an application's
necessary inspection process and generating code necessary to
perform the vision tasks. These are combined with an easy to use
motion control Visual Basic toolkit for automating motion from
the vision results. Users can customize the example code to their
particular requirements via Visual Basic's development environment.
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MIL
The Matrox Imaging Library is a field-proven high level Windows™
software development toolkit available as DLL or OCX for machine
vision and image analysis. MIL has
an extensive set of optimized functions for image capture, image
processing (e.g., point-to-point, statistics, filtering, morphology,
geometric transformations, FFT), pattern matching, blob analysis,
measurement, OCR, bar and matrix code recognition, calibration,
graphics, image compression, image display, and archiving. MIL
now includes Geometric Model Finder,
a
unique pattern recognition tool that uses geometric features to
quickly find patterns located at any position including angle,
any scale from 50% to 200%, with occlusion, and under non-uniform
changes in contrast including contrast reversal. MIL includes
drivers for the Matrox line of frame grabbers and vision processors
in one package. These various hardware options cover
an immense range of processing solutions from low-end to ultra-high-end
systems. MIL ties it all together so the user doesn't have to.
MIL also includes ActiveMIL, an OCX interface to all MIL functions
to ease programming.
Matrox
Inspector
 Matrox
Inspector is an interactive Windows™ application for image
capture, processing, analysis, display and archiving. Based on
the Matrox Imaging Library (MIL) software development toolkit,
it provides point-and-click access to all of MIL's extensive library
of optimized machine vision
image processing functions. Inspector is designed as a companion
tool to MIL to facilitate the development of machine vision and
imaging applications.
Key
additions to Inspector are ActiveMIL Builder,
Model Finder, and Relative Region Tools. ActiveMIL Builder
is a powerful code generation tool for creating stand-alone imaging
applications using the Visual Basic™ development environment.
Model Finder lets the user control the new Geometric Model Finder
libraries of MIL.
Additional
Programming Flexibility
The standard AeroVision examples and tools are designed for Visual
Basic, but the motion and vision libraries can also be called
from C/C++. Aerotech's vision and motion tools are encapsulated
in COM, DLL, and Active X formats enabling application implementation
in various programming methods.
This flexibility allows for the development of applications in
familiar programming environments such as Microsoft's Visual Basic
or Visual C, maximizing flexibility, code reusability, and reducing
the learning curve associated with proprietary development environments.
Fast
Tools + Fast Interfaces = Fast Object Tracking
Coupling PCI vision and motion hardware with fast inspection software
allows the customer to implement fast, reliable systems with scalable
performance. Vision hardware from analog video frame grabbers
up to digital video vision processors are available. This, coupled
with Aerotech's time-tested motion control solutions, gives customers
the ability to build the system they need and easily upgrade later
if their application requirements grow. A good example of fast
processing would be active vision
servoing by tracking an object and sending correction moves to
the motion system at the camera frame rate.
Open Development Environment
Using industry standard development tools provides a completely
open-architecture programming environment. Third-party network
interfaces, I/O, and other peripherals can be seamlessly integrated
at the application level. Other automation vendors claim open
architecture by providing support for a limited number of third-party
resources within their development environment. With Aerotech
and the Windows VB/C/C++ programming environments, there are no
such limitations. Developers are free to choose best-in-class
peripherals to enhance and extend the capability of their systems.
High-Speed Communication
Interfacing to the Aerotech motion and vision subsystems occurs
through the PCI bus, eliminating bottlenecks associated with RS-232
and IEEE-488 communication interfaces. RS-232 and IEEE-488 “legacy”-type
interfaces have been well-suited for laboratory-type environments
where speed and throughput are not an issue. Today's competitive
optical component manufacturing environments require high speed,
high throughput, and low downtime systems. Using the 32-bit parallel
data PCI bus as the communication channel for image processing
and motion control meets these requirements with throughput to
spare. Programming support for “legacy”-type interfaces
is available within the VB or C/C++
programming environment for applications that must support communication
with these devices.
Targeted Vision Solutions
These solutions are available with all required hardware such
as frame grabber, cameras, lenses, lighting, and cables for a
complete vision-enabled solution. Aerotech can provide a full
line of analog, digital, IEEE-1394, or Camera-Link frame grabbers
and image processors. Software-only solutions are available for
customers familiar with the specification and application of vision-related
hardware. The toolkit example code provided by Aerotech demonstrates
how to identify the position and orientation of device-specific
features and return this data to the program for subsequent processing.
The toolkit provides customizable examples of the following necessary
automation process steps:
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Customers can easily create an automated parts database for part
selection and critical parameter setup. Aerotech’s
high-speed algorithms consist of industry-standard alignment functions
as well as sophisticated proprietary multidimensional “fast”
alignment routines.
•
The machine vision and scan search limits can be
used to provide collision avoidance.
•
The high accuracy
sub-micron vision capture rapidly ascertains
part location and vision servo alignment.
•
Aerotech's active alignment algorithms provide
automatic nanometer positioning control.
•
Standard interface I/O control or Pulse Synchronized
Output provides coordinated triggering
of epoxy dispense and cure or laser welding
with post weld adjustments.
•
Can communicate to the shop floor through standard
Ethernet, USB, or Firewire protocols.
Fast
Power Scanning
Vision is well-suited for the initial alignment of optical components.
Machine-vision-guided alignment can, in most cases, eliminate
the need for manual operator intervention, resulting in lower
production costs, more repeatable results, and higher yields.
By locating the actual position and orientation of components
with vision, the complexity and cost of fixtures also can be reduced.
In most cases a properly configured vision system can align components
with enough accuracy to attain a minimal amount of light coupling.
The attainment of “first-light” using vision can lead
to shorter manufacturing cycle times, further reducing the cost
of optical components. However, finding “first-light”
is only the initial step in the alignment process. The coupling
of the light through the components must be optimized and this
optimized orientation must be maintained throughout the remainder
of the process. Aerotech has implemented a complete set of power
coupling optimization tools that result in the fastest alignment
times in the industry. These high-speed algorithms consist of
industry-standard alignment functions such as spiral search and
hill-climb routines, as well as sophisticated proprietary multi-dimensional
“fast” alignment routines. These tools can be used individually
or in combination to provide coupling efficiencies unattainable
with a manual alignment station or competitive automated systems.
Once the optimal alignment of the components has been achieved,
Aerotech's nano-positioning tools have the required in-position
stability to maintain the alignment throughout the rest of the
manufacturing process.
Complete System Solution
Aerotech has all the key components from both a hardware and software
perspective to meet the requirements of the most demanding fiberoptic
component manufacturing applications. With high reliability, continuous-duty,
24/7-rated nano-translators, the fastest power alignment algorithms
in the industry, integrated vision processing, and an open-architecture
motion control platform, Aerotech truly represents the best-in-class
fiber automation motion systems and tool provider.
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