Common industrial standards expected to boost machine-vision markets

JANUARY 28--As machine-vision technology rapidly expands to meet sophisticated market demands, developing a common standard is necessary to increase the system component and capability options available to end users and to make systems more appealing. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (San Jose, CA;www.testandmeasurement.frost.com), World Machine Vision Inspection System Markets, reveals that the industry-generated revenues totaled $1.12 billion in 2002. Total market revenues could reach $2.62 billion in 2009.

"The lack of operating standards within the machine-vision industry creates difficulties in developing and operating vision systems, and end users often cannot connect desired components," says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Sunderraju Ramachandran. "Conflicts between components, computer software, and hardware technologies and user interfaces reduce credibility for the industry as a whole as there exists no plug-and-play for a generic system."

Increasing buyer awareness of the vastly improved capabilities of machine vision systems is also important to overcome lingering skepticism or misinformation created by the earlier less capable systems.

Innovation is the key to success in this market. With processes in the automotive, electronic, semiconductor, food, and pharmaceutical industries requiring more high-technology vision systems, products that have greater flexibility and the ability to inspect multiple parts and to handle product changeovers seamlessly and efficiently without major reprogramming are the order of the day.