Vision systems offer powerful I4.0 capabilities

As the premier data-exchange protocol for Industry 4.0, OPC UA enables streamlined communication and information sharing between In-Sight vision products and other industrial automation assets in smart factories.

“With rapid advancements in automation, big data, and cloud computing, manufacturers need smart devices that are Industry 4.0-ready,” said Joerg Kuechen, Cognex Senior Vice President, Vision Products. “In-Sight Explorer is the industry standard vision software thanks to its power, flexibility, and ease of use in deploying and maintaining vision applications. With its enhanced communications capabilities, In-Sight vision systems and sensors will continue to deliver exceptional speed, performance, and efficiency for smart factories of the future.”

In addition to OPC UA support, Cognex has expanded its communication capabilities for popular PLC brands. For users of Siemens PLCs, In-Sight vision products now support PROFINET Class B, which incorporates simple network management protocol (SNMP), making it possible to monitor system network statistics, system settings, and network topology with standard SNMP tools. PROFINET conformance classes help companies understand their device and controller options.

With the release of In-Sight Explorer 5.8.0, In-Sight vision products also support iQSS-capable Mitsubishi series PLCs. iQ Sensor Solution (iQSS) is an engineering tool that automatically discovers and monitors sensors across the network and manages their configurations. iQSS easily maintains these configurations across multiple production lines and improves interaction between sensors, PLC, HMIs, and software—resulting in lower costs and shorter development and maintenance set-up time.