VisionPro Application for Automotive Piston Inspection

VisionPro offers powerful vision tools and delivers reliable performance with simple and user-friendly setup, accurately detecting whether the piston is processed correctly and whether there is aluminum debris in the ring groove. The image-based 2DMax+ algorithm can read almost 100% of piston QR codes, providing consistent high read rates for product traceability. OCRMax provides high-speed optical character recognition and verification, ensuring high accuracy in reading the grouping information of pistons and greatly reducing the risk of mixing pistons.

 

Based on COM/ActiveX technology, VisionPro application systems are easy to integrate with third-party applications, such as graphic functions. Using the Visual C# programming environment, VisionPro's vision tools can be quickly and flexibly applied to the system. High-speed image capture based on the PCI bus ensures that no images of pistons with aluminum debris are missed during the rotation process. The high-speed positioning tool can accurately locate within milliseconds, even small aluminum debris near the edge will not escape detection, eliminating concerns about missing aluminum debris in the ring groove.

 

For different piston models, corresponding inspection jobs can be created, and when changing models, you only need to select the corresponding job for easy switching. For creating new jobs, VisionPro's QuickBuild setup environment is simple and user-friendly, with tool parameter adjustments being straightforward. Even field personnel who don't frequently work with computers can easily master it after a short training.

 

Furthermore, VisionPro's reading rates for QR codes and characters are very satisfactory, even after changing models and with lower image contrast, it can still read accurately. This validates Cognex software technology as world-class for reading DPM codes.

 

The entire system workflow is as follows:

 

(1) After the piston reaches the first inspection station on the production line, the PLC control system rotates the piston one full turn. When rotation starts, it triggers the first inspection camera for the process inspection and continuously triggers the aluminum debris detection camera to check for continuous aluminum debris presence. The results are then transmitted to the C# application's main program.

 

(2) When the piston rotates 180 degrees, it triggers the process inspection camera again for the second inspection. After completion of rotation, it stops the aluminum debris detection trigger signal, and the main program processes the results of the two inspections. If it fails the inspection, the signal is sent back to the PLC control system for removal. For pistons that pass the inspection, they continue for other content inspections and processing on the production line, eventually reaching the top information reading station. The application reads the piston's QR code and grouping information, repeatedly compares it with ERP information, and stores the relevant information. If it does not match the repetition count, an alert is given. After reading the QR code, the piston enters a grouping lane, and the main program compares the lane number it enters with the grouping information it read, confirming whether it entered the wrong lane and providing an alert.




Cognex industrial cameras perform checks for missed processing steps and aluminum debris in the ring groove.






Cognex industrial cameras read grouping information and QR codes to ensure correct packaging and product traceability.




 


Main program interface