K|Lens Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) Systems
Our AOI systems are precise, flexible, fast and easy to integrate.
They can be used for precise 3D measurement or for building superior AI solutions.
They can be acquired as stand-alone lenses or purchased as systems combined with a fitting industrial camera.
All systems are empowered by our software producing high quality and dense point clouds in real-time.
Our software allows integration in all common frameworks like Halcon and others.
3D Visual Inspection for Small Complex Structures
For small and complex workpieces, todays inline 3D solutions, like laser scanners or structured light systems often suffer from occlusions or the complexity of surface material such as metal or glass. Based on our proprietary passive multiview lightfield technology, our AOI products overcome such challenges.
Being built as a single camera solution, our systems guarantee in-process synchronisation and calibration making them exceptionally robust for inline-usage in production environments.
By generating nine views simultaneously, our systems make visible what no other system can see and this in real time, so also in highly dynamic processes.
Multiview Technology
Helps to deal with complex materials
- Our hardware is a light field lens for capturing depth information and “rich light field data” with any given camera
- A mirror system (“Image Multiplier”) in the K|Lens splits the light rays into 9 separate images which are captured simultaneously on the camera sensor.
- Based on such 9 perspectives, our software generates 3D information.
- The high number of view points allows to deal with occlusions as well as complex surface materials such as metal or glass (transparent, glossy etc).
Multiview AI
Solves "unsolvable" Use Cases
Common AI solutions are built on single camera input data. Solutions built on our sensor technology benefit from rich input data including:
- 9 perspectives
- 3D data and
- multi-filter data.
The richer the data input, the more robust the AI solutions.
Hereby, we allow to solve even the today still considered unsolvable use cases.
Our Product Portfolio
Customizable Solutions
We offer our products as stand-alone systems or as fully integrated solutions.
For stand alone systems, our customers can build on 1 inch cameras or full frame cameras of their choice. We have tested several models of market leading camera manufacturers and can provide system recommendations.
Adapted lenses with fitting focal lengths are available.
The Software:
Rich Data
Our Software includes
- Capturing support
- 3D modules
- Metrical calibration
- Point Cloud generation
The algorithms can be integrated into any framework (such as Halcon, Python, Matlab, etc.).
Use Cases
In customers projects from a diverse field of industries, we have validated the unique solution potential of our product for AOI. Our systems are running live and have proven their performance and robustness. The solution potential covers a large variety of use cases, such as:
Electronic Connectors
Our customer is producing electronic connectors for the automotive industry with extremely small housings. Such connectors need to be controlled for pin length, pin angle, swash circumference as well as moldings defects. To date, controls have been done manually or by contact testing through dedicated tools. Our customer required a contactless quality control system. With our system, a completely automated solution has been implemented where all 3D criteria are validated. In addition, molding defects are spotted even at the flanks of the pins, and this in extremely tiny housings. By long term tests, not only quality is assured, but also production processes are better understood and can be optimized.
By its capability to generate 3D and color information in a single shot, even in complex and deep structures, a unique solution has been built for our pilot customer.
PCBs
Our customer is equipping PCBs with different components, such as transistors, capacitors, diodes etc. The completeness / bill of material is today established by manual controls. Such manual controls are not realiable and extremely costly. With our system, the process has been fully automated.
By combining Multiview color information with 3D information in a machine learning based classification solution, even parts which are extremely similar are reliably differentiated, so that a bill of material can now be established fully automatically. The automation bears high cost savings and process assurance for our pilot customer.
Screw Sorting
Our customer is producing screws in a fast and highly automated process. Through inefficiencies in production, defects still can occur, e.g. broken screws, screws without thread, screws without heads etc. Today such defective parts are sorted out manually, an extremely stressful and costly process. With our system, we are automating this manual inspection process.
By using our multiview capability, machine learning based classification results could for the first time be lifted up to where automation became possible. The cost savings are enormous, not only by cutting labor costs, but also by being able to speed up the production and not being held down by the human factor.
Welding seams and adhesive beads
We are currently experimenting with several interested customers on solutions for automated inline controls of robot guided welding or adhesive bead application. Such controls benefit from the capability of our system to generate precise 3D information together with Multiview AI classification for pre-defined defect classes by a single sensor in a single shot, ie fully real-time capable.
Tool Wear
Our customer is shaping turbine parts with cutting tools. Such cutting tools wear during the production process, an extreme wear can cause damages to the produced parts. Before using our product, our customer was manually controlling the wear in pre-defined intervals. This manual process was inefficient, not always reliable and expensive. With our solution, a completely automated process has been established where the shaping robot is continuously controlling the wear status of the cutting tool with our vision system. As soon as a critical wear status is identified, the cutting tool is replaced. This allows for the avoidance of damages, optimal usage of tools and cost savings of human intervention.
By its capability of generating precise 3D data and highest performance classification results by using Multiview AI, a unique solution has been built with our pilot customer.
Particle detection in liquids
For a packaging company, we developed a system that detects particles in liquids that are packed in plastic bags. Here, when looking through the printed packaging, the distinction between simple air bubbles and interfering particles is critical. AI processes can support classical processes in this regard. The system could also be helpful for pharmaceutical blow-fill-seal (BFS) containers such as infusion bags, but also bottles, ampoules and vials.
