Selection Guides
Break down cameras, lenses, lighting, controllers, software, I/O and fixtures in an industrial vision system.
Direct answer
A machine vision system is a signal chain: fixture and trigger present the part, lighting creates contrast, lens and camera capture evidence, software makes the decision, and controller/I/O sends the result. Weakness in one component can make the whole station unreliable.
The station only works when fixture, trigger, lighting, lens, camera, software and I/O all support the same pass/fail, measurement, code or coordinate decision.
A camera-only quote can look correct but fail when lighting, lens distance, part presentation, trigger timing or reject output is not reviewed with the rest of the cell.
Provide target feature, good/NG samples, FOV, working distance, tolerance, line speed, trigger method, output protocol and maintenance expectations.
The component list changes depending on whether the station must detect a defect, measure a dimension, read a code, guide a robot or output coordinates. A clear pass/fail or measurement rule prevents catalog-only component selection.
Resolution alone does not create a stable image. Sensor size, lens focal length, aperture, working distance, light angle, exposure and surface behavior should be evaluated together with sample parts.
A sharp bench image can fail in production if the part is not positioned repeatably, the trigger window is wrong or the PLC output is undefined. Mechanical and electrical details are part of the vision system, not afterthoughts.
A smart camera may be enough for a contained inspection. A PC-based system is safer for multi-camera logic, image storage, heavier algorithms or MES/database handoff. The architecture should fit both inspection complexity and maintenance staff.
How to test before buying
Before purchase, validate the sample image, fixture, light, exposure, trigger and output logic together. The final result should be a repeatable production decision, not only a clean demo image.
Decision checks
Select by FOV, smallest feature, speed, shutter type and interface.
Match sensor size, working distance, field of view and distortion requirement.
Choose by material, defect contrast, reflection and installation space.
Decision table
| Factor | Practical rule | RFQ impact |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Select by FOV, smallest feature, speed, shutter type and interface. | Send FOV, feature size, line speed and trigger method. |
| Lens | Match sensor size, working distance, field of view and distortion requirement. | Prevents selecting a camera that cannot be used with practical optics. |
| Lighting | Choose by material, defect contrast, reflection and installation space. | Send good/bad samples and current glare or shadow failures. |
| Controller and software | Choose smart camera, embedded controller or PC by algorithm, I/O and data needs. | Clarifies integration scope before quotation. |
| Fixture and trigger | Stabilize part position and capture timing before tuning thresholds. | Reduces commissioning changes after hardware purchase. |
Application proof
Small connector features require stable contrast, low distortion and repeatable part positioning before a pass/fail threshold can be trusted.
Reflective metal surfaces can hide scratches and burrs unless the lighting geometry is matched to the defect direction and part movement.
Battery tab weld inspection needs geometry confidence, stable position reference and traceability under high station throughput.
Common mistakes
Factory handoff
The factory route review starts by checking whether the image can be made stable with lighting and fixture control. Then the camera, lens, reader or 3D sensor route is sized against speed, resolution, interface and installation constraints.
If you already have a Keyence, Cognex, Basler, OPT, LMI, Hikrobot or barcode-reader reference, include it as a reference model. Deyi Vision uses it to understand the application class; final selection still depends on real samples and production limits.
Guide to RFQ
Use the guide to frame the question, then send the details so engineering can recommend a route.
Request engineering RFQGuide FAQ
The main components are camera, lens, lighting, trigger sensor, controller or software, I/O, cables, fixture and the inspection logic that defines the output.
Select the inspection requirement first. After FOV, defect, speed, tolerance and output are clear, camera, lens and lighting can be chosen as one route.
Common causes are unstable fixturing, uncontrolled lighting, wrong trigger timing, surface variation, undefined no-read or reject logic and missing production acceptance criteria.
