JUNE 14--Concepts In Computing Inc. (CIC; South Beloit, IL; http://www.c-in-c.com), a supplier of application-specific machine-vision software and vision-integrated solutions, has enhanced its EconoCR industrial optical-character-recognition (OCR) software, making it compatible with several new environments and processors. CIC's EconoCR performs identification, matching, sorting, tracking, and verification of products as they move through various laboratory, manufacturing, or material handling processes.
Typical applications include automatic reading of serial numbers or identification codes that are machine-marked on printed circuit boards/substrates/wafers, glass lenses and molds, electronic components and carriers, disk drive read/write heads, medical/dental devices and instruments, automotive or aerospace components, currency, and packaged goods. It has also been proven effective reading liquid-crystal displays and computer monitors during automated test operations. Reading accuracy is virtually 100% on "good" characters, while similar performance can be achieved on mediocre, and in many cases, poor-quality characters via activation of certain advanced features. Additionally, on-site training of a new font can be accomplished in minutes.
Originally offered as a C++ library of OCR-related routines for Pentium-compatible PCs or machine vision implementation platforms running Microsoft Windows 9X or NT, an enhanced version of CIC's EconoCR is now available for National Instruments' LabVIEW environment. EconoCR is also available for implementation on a variety of products powered by Analog Devices' 21XX family of Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Texas Instruments' TMS320C62XX family of DSPs, Motorola's PowerPCs, and Hitachi's SH4 processor.
