Medical Device Link.

Originally Published EMDM January/February 2002

PRODUCT UPDATE

Patented Digital Serial Link technology in a company's machine vision systems allows two-way transfer of images and other data at speeds of 330 Mb/sec through simple twisted-pair wires. The advantage of digital, says Chuck Bourn, director of marketing communications at PPT Vision Inc. (Eden Prairie, MN, USA), is that it minimizes the image degradation caused by noise from other equipment on the factory floor. Such noise can alter image pixels in analogue systems, directly affecting the accuracy of inspection algorithms. Another payoff is speed: when digital systems are used to inspect cannulae and syringe bodies, for example, inspection rates of 8000 parts per minute are achievable.

According to Bourn, systems are easy to set up and configure. Lighting, I/Os, and up to 16 cameras can quickly be added in a plug-and-play fashion. The PC-based graphical user interface allows new functions to be added by simply dragging and dropping icons on screen. During run time, graphing software provides the operator with a visual representation of process control data, such as standard deviation, coefficient of process capability, and min/max/mean. Current medical applications include inspecting plastic injection moulding processes, electronic components, and disposable test kits.

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