Panasonic Micro-Imagechecker AX30 User manual

Micro-Imagechecker
AX30/AX40
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AX30/AX40
Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
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The Systems at a Glance
AX30 AX40
Compact and industrial stand-alone hardware
Fast and reliable
Time-saving setup thanks to an easy-to-use graphical interface
Two colour-CCD cameras connectable
Serial, parallel and Ethernet interfaces
VGA-monitor connection
Data storage of Compact Flash memory cards
Support dual language menu
Optional project management software AXTOOL
Contents:
The Sytems at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Hardware Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Software Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Special Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Inspection Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Software AXTOOL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
System Configuration and Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Easy to use colour image
processing system
Various ready-to-use inspection
tools for a wide range of visual
inspection applications
Supports 360° contour matching function
Everything the AX30 can do
plus several functions from tried and
tested A200
Colour processing and additional grey
value routines such as sub-pixel edge
detection, feature extraction and smart matching
Fast binary routines such as feature extraction
New differential pre-processing
Several useful add-ons such as setting help, data
monitoring and display functions
Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
Colour Colour
Binary
Grey Value
Differential
Micro-Imagechecker
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Compact and industrial
With their dimensions of just 130 x 59 mm, AX30/AX40 Imagecheckers help you
realise the growing demand of downsizing equipment.They permit space saving
DIN-rail installation in a switching cabinet or direct mounting at the inspection site.
All interface connectors are located on the front side, which makes it easy to install
and service the systems. Furthermore, they have an impressive record in industrial
safety, which results also from the fact that they do not employ any mechanical parts
such as fans or hard disks.
Precise and reliable
Being the successors to our successful A-Series Imagecheckers, AX30/AX40 systems
inherit proven image-processing technology built up over many years. These high-
precision devices ensure advanced quality inspection of your products, since they
include colour data in the evaluation process. They are designed as stand-alone
devices with a proprietary operating system and a dedicated inspection firmware.
The systems are ready for operation immediately after power up and can provide
inspections 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.
Powerful dual camera inspection
AX Series Imagecheckers include a dedicated 32-bit RISC CPU that secures a high-
performance inspection level. Besides the short response time, the systems enable
very powerful inspection algorithms, such as those used for the newly developed
contour matching. They detect objects reliably, even if they partially overlap or if
ambient light changes.
AX30/AX40 process the images of up to two colour CCD cameras in parallel and
output inspection results after a few milliseconds.
Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
Hardware Highlights
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Two serial ports1)
■Communicate with PCs
and/or PLCs
■Direct connection to various PLCs
without programming efforts
Indicator LEDs
■Display of all essential signals
on the controller
DIN rail installation
■One touch at the rear, is all that is
required for DIN rail installation
Ethernet port
■100 Base-Tx
■Several backup/restore functions
■Optional: AXTOOL software
Compact flash
memory card slot
■Backup/restore of camera images,
screenshots and project data
■Very reliable, rugged and cost
efficient storage media
Keypad interface
■Easy video-game-like setting with
a four-button keypad
Parallel I/O
■14 digital outputs for judgement and
result data output plus additional
signals for error, ready, flash-light
trigger, etc.
■13 digital inputs for program change
teach-in, etc.
■PhotoMOS technology
Two colour cameras
connectable
■Single chip CCD technology
■Fast progressive scan image
capturing
■All camera parameters adjustable via
software
■Miniature camera design
VGA-monitor interface
■High-quality display (flicker-free)
■Use of cost effective standard
monitors
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Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
A Sophisticated Hardware Concept
Original Product size
1) Cannot be used simmultaneously
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Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
Software Highlights
Human eye-like sensitivity
The colour recognition/extraction
algorithms of AX30 and AX40 are based
on the LCH (luminosity, chroma and
hue) mode, which covers all colours a
human eye can recognise. This mode
allows for colour recognition more
similar to that of the human eye than
conventional RGB-mode colour
extraction.
Colour Detection, Presence Checking
Measures the area of the specified region or pre-defined
colours to detect foreign objects, perform presence checking,
sort or count objects.
Inspection examples
Size Measurement
Grey-scale based inspection functions such as edge finders
allow the system to measure dimensions, angles, diameters,
radii, etc. with sub-pixel resolution.
Numerous advantages
Independent evaluation of luminance, saturation and hue
Low influence by variation in luminance
Higher recognition certainty
Reliable detection of objects barly distinguishable
in grey colour pictures
Colours like green,
cyan or yellow can
hardly be
distinguished in
grey colour pictures.
Only a colour system makes reliable
control possible.
Colour image processing opens a new world of possibilities.
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Position detection
Several algorithms in the systems are made for precisely
detecting the position of an object.
x/y coordinates and the rotation angle are typically output.
Matching
Advanced matching functions such as contour-matching and
smart matching1) can be used to identify or to validate object
details reliably and efficiently.
1) AX40 only
Fast and easy setup
Our newly designed user interface
allows you to set up your inspection
routine quickly. The clearly structured
screen with its pull-down menus,
semitransparent spreadsheets and
indicators makes it easy to configure the
AX30 or AX40 to each individual
application, even for non-experts.
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Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
Special Features
Colour tone diagram
Fine adjustment for color inspection is
possible. Even when colors resemble
each other, the target color alone can be
extracted to enable highly accurate
inspection.
Mask
The shape of the inspection area can be
set to match particular targets. Also,
mask area settings can be combined so
that efficient inspection can be carried
out just for a required part.
Print screen
You can save setting displays or
displays that occur during operation as
bitmaps on a memory card. This is
convenient for creating documents or for
verifying previously shot images.
360° contour-matching
By calculating contour lines and judging,
stable positional detection is possible
even for hidden, overlapped objects that
have been difficult to detect up to now.
Thanks to this, better yields are
achieved.
AX40Previous
Versatile rotational and positional
adjustment
Highly accurate and reliable inspection
is realized by automatically adjusting
object orientation and stop-position
deviation. Since adjustment is done
using grey scale data, the AX40 shows
its strength when it comes to changes in
brightness. Complicated adjustments
are possible because of the priority
adjustment function.
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Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
Additional Features of the AX40
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Smart matching
Grey scale matching makes sub-pixel
positional detection possible
Furthermore, shape inspection, such as
for the detection of chipped objects, can
be carried out simultaneously with the
grey scale difference processing
function
Full colour
LCH mode for human-eye like colour
inspection
Suitable for various inspection tasks
such as sorting, counting, parts
recognition, etc.
Grey scale
256 grey tones for precise
measurement, positioning, etc.
Binary
A reduction of the image data to black
and white pixels allows fastest
inspection
Differential
Extracts edges/changes in the
image data
Ideal method e.g. for surface
inspection
Template
Detected
image
Difference result
1 System – 4 inspection modes
AX40 commands four different inspection modes: colour, binary, grey-scale and differential image processing. Combined with a
large pool of ready-made and easy-to-configure inspection functions such as 360° contour-matching and smart matching, AX40
can handle nearly any inspection task.
Data monitor
Up to 50 inspection results are displayed
on the monitor in chart form for operator
verification. Also, threshold adjustment
(upper and lower limit values) can be
changed on the data monitor without
entering them in the setting menu.
Statistical support
Data can be tracked, e.g. as maximum
value, minimum value, average value,
and number of NG (no-good) results.
Maximum, minimum, average and other
OK judgment values can be verified,
which is useful as a guide for making
upper and lower limit settings.
Numerical calculation/judgement
output
The computation function, which has
been troublesome up to now, now can
be easily made, even by beginners.
Also, operation has become even easier
thanks to the ability to set both
numerical calculation and judgement
output on the same screen.
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Micro-Imagechecker AX30/AX40
User-friendly User Interface
Intuitive and clearly arranged
Our newly designed user interface saves you time and allows you to set your visual inspection routine efficiently. The clearly
structured screen with its pull-down menus, semitransparent spreadsheets and indicators makes it easy even for non-experts to
adjust AX30/AX40 to each individual application. The big overall good/bad display as well as the status indicators give you
reliable output information any time during the setting and inspection procedure.
Since AX30/AX40 has a standard VGA interface, it can be connected to any normal computer monitor.
System uses
18-dot fonts.
Operating systems
equipped with pull-down
menus and dialogue
windows. System closer to
“look and feel” of Windows
applications for more
intuitive operation.
Easy-to-see overall
pass/fail result display.
Colour window achieves unrivaled ease of operation!
Select colours to detect right on the screen.
Image display area (512 x 480)
Easy-to-see
semitransparent menu
screen. Configure various
settings while viewing
captured image.
Reserved area for status
display (128 x 480).
Display results and more
without affecting the
camera image.
Other highlights:
Password protection
Multiple language configuration (German, English, French, etc.)
Setting help for focus and apperture (AX40)
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