Since the early days of publishing, trade-press magazines such as Vision Systems Design have sought to provide relevant and timely information about analog and digital electronic and optical technologies, products, applications, and advancements pertinent to their readership. To help readers in their purchases of products and services, most publications have offered a reader-service (or "bingo") card. These cards have enabled readers to obtain free information from companies mentioned either editorially or in advertising.
However, with the introduction of the Internet, a variety of user-friendly browsers allow interested engineers to access information almost instantly from the comfort of their own computers. No longer do industry professionals have to circle bingo cards and wait, often more than a month, to receive information. Now, instant access to products, services, and technologies mentioned is expected quickly and easily.
With this digital technology turn of events, the reader service card has become obsolete. Consequently, starting this month, Vision Systems Design will no longer include a reader service card. Instead, readers requiring additional information can use the Websites and e-mail addresses found in each news story, technical article, and new-product writeup. In this way, readers can gain instant access to relevant information on the same day as they receive the magazine.
IN THIS ISSUEMachine vision is continuing to solve problems in many real-world applications. For example, to handle the widening rainbow of colors of plastic bottles that have entered the market, explains contributing editor Jeff Child, bottle recyclers have turned to color-sorting vision systems. These systems enable recyclers to expand or change color-sorting targets as new colors appear and to accommodate mixed colors within a bottle shipment (see p. 27).A manufacturer of solar-panel cells found its automated inspection system outdated and slow; it failed to find many nonconforming parts. A newly installed vision inspection system works as a slave to the existing system but functions as an integrated platform with seamless communications. The results, says Michael Williams, senior technical writer at DVT Corp., include improved production volumes, automatic removal of defective parts, and adaptability to variances and production changes (see p. 31).
Machine-vision application developers have always ranked ease of use as a high priority when selecting software. Advances in machine-vision software, reports contributing editor Jeff Child, are enhancing the ability to get software up and running easily and quickly through the use of comprehensive graphical environments (see p. 35).
George Kotelly,Editor in Chief
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