The Manufacturer's Visual Inspection Glossary
The field of automated inspection combines concepts from optics, computer science, and mechanical engineering. This glossary is designed to help you navigate the terminology and make informed decisions about your quality control processes. - The Team at Openex
The Glossary (Alphabetical Order)
- Algorithm
A set of rules or calculations used by software to solve a problem or perform an analysis, such as identifying a defect. - AOI (Automated Optical Inspection)
The use of cameras, lighting, and software to automatically inspect parts for defects, features, or dimensions without physical contact. - Blob Analysis
An image processing technique that identifies and analyzes connected regions (blobs) of pixels in an image, often used to detect voids, stains, or unwanted material. - Camera, CCD/CMOS:
The types of sensors in a vision camera that convert light into an electrical signal to create a digital image. CMOS is more common in modern systems. - Contrast
The difference in intensity between the lightest and darkest parts of an image. High contrast is often crucial for reliable inspection. - Deep Learning
A type of artificial intelligence (AI) where a model learns to recognize patterns and features from a large set of training images. Excellent for complex and variable defects.. - Depth of Field (DoF):
The range of distance within which an object remains in sharp focus. Critical for inspecting parts with height variations. - False Negative
When a system fails to identify a defect that is present (a "miss"). - False Positive:
When a system identifies a defect that is not present (a "false alarm"). - FPS (Frames Per Second)
A measure of camera speed, indicating how many images it can capture in one second. Crucial for high-speed production lines. - Field of View (FOV)
The area of the object that is visible to the camera. - IPC (Industrial Personal Computer)
A ruggedized computer designed to withstand the harsh conditions of a factory floor, used to process vision algorithms. - IR (Infrared) Lighting
Light outside the visible spectrum, used to inspect features that are difficult to see with visible light. - LED Lighting
Light-Emitting Diodes are the standard for machine vision due to their longevity, stability, and cool operation. - Lens
An optical component that focuses light onto the camera sensor. Different types (e.g., telecentric, wide-angle) are used for different applications. - OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
Software that reads and verifies text, such as serial numbers, date codes, or logos. - Optical Resolution
The ability of a vision system to distinguish between two closely spaced objects, often tied to camera sensor and lens quality. - Pixel
The smallest unit of a digital image. A megapixel is one million pixels. - Pre-processing
Image processing techniques (e.g., filtering, normalization) used to improve image quality before analysis. - Repeatability
The ability of a vision system to produce consistent results when measuring the same part multiple times. - ROI (Region of Interest)
A specific, user-defined area within an image where the inspection analysis is performed. This speeds up processing by ignoring irrelevant parts of the image. - Resolution
The smallest detail that a vision system can detect, often measured in pixels or microns. - Telecentric Lens
A specialized lens that provides a constant magnification regardless of an object's distance or position within the field of view, eliminating perspective error for highly accurate measurements. - Throughput
The number of parts a system can inspect per minute/hour. - Vision Controller:
A dedicated, hardened computer optimized for running machine vision software, often used instead of a standard IPC.
Theories are great, but results are what matter. Let Openex demonstrate how these principles combine to solve real-world inspection challenges on your production line.
Contact our experts today for a free, no-obligation consultation and see how our AI-powered systems can achieve 100% inspection for you.
