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Contents
1 Introduction 1-1
This document is intended for the user of the Vision Sensor SIMATIC VS 110. It
contains notes on installation and tips for typical applications. Some solutions for
unusual applications are also included. The aim of the document is to bring you a
step nearer to simple and successful solutions.
We start by outlining some of the main points to be considered when setting up the
SIMATIC VS 110. You will see several sample images of the sensor field of view
that illustrate points you should note.
The next chapter describes applications that violate the specifications
for operating the Vision Sensor VS 110 but that can nevertheless be used for a
reliable and successful evaluation.
Note
The object being tested must maintain at least the following minimum distance
from the top, left, and right edges of the field of view (in other words the visible
bright area) to allow reliable evaluation:
• 4 mm with the camera head for large objects (MLFB 6GF2 002-8AA)
• 2 mm for the camera head for small objects (MLFB 6GF2 002-8BA)
The object being tested must only touch the lower edge of the image in the sensor
field of view or a surface that is visible at the bottom of the image.
These reflections may have a negative influence on the evaluation since the
SIMATIC VS 110 cannot distinguish clearly between the visible illuminated area
and fixed components in your system.
Not only reflections from fixed components (for example the conveyor system)
cause problems but also temporary reflections on the test objects themselves.
These can result in different silhouettes and therefore lead to different test results.
A temporary reflection is shown in the picture below.
One way of avoiding reflections is to mask the unused illuminated area responsible
for the reflections.
• Select the sensor field of view so that there are as few reflections as possible
(bright patches) on the test object and the conveyor. There are threaded holes
on the front of the illumination unit that can be used to fit opaque masks to the
illumination unit.
• As a rule of thumb for masking; you should attempt to leave only the minimum
distance between the upper edge of the test object and the lower edge of the
mask so that a maximum cover is achieved. You should also make sure that
you use the highest object when determining the necessary minimum distance
between the object and mask!
• You can achieve the same effect by arranging the illumination behind the
object so low that the upper edge of the illuminated area effectively takes over
the function of a mask.
The following picture shows an ideal image of a test object (on the left) when using
a mask. On the right-hand side, you can see the negative effects of a temporary
reflection: Compared with the ideal image of the test object, the test object appears
to be too flat in the middle.
Reflections can also be reduced significantly if the test object is in the upper part of
the possible sensor field of view. You can achieve this by arranging the mid axis
(optical axis) of the sensor head somewhat below the upper edge of the conveyor.
With this solution, however, you must make sure that the object being tested
remains completely visible in the image. This arrangement is only suitable for
relatively flat objects.
If you mask the illumination, you must make sure that the mask completely blocks
the infrared light being used. A translucent mask as shown in the following picture
may have very detrimental effects on reliable evaluation.
Note
For more information on the topic of arranging the illumination and using masks,
refer to the Vision Sensor SIMATIC VS 110 manual, page 4-5.
It is therefore important that the upper edge of the conveyor is aligned parallel to
the lower edge of the image window to achieve reliable results with the SIMATIC
VS 110. If this condition is not met as shown in the picture below (on the left), the
device will evaluate in an invalid or at least unnecessarily reduced area as shown
in the picture below on the right.
Evaluation area
Conveyor
Evaluation area
All the areas that are not within the trained evaluation window are treated by the
device as "don't care" regions during evaluation and they are ignored. If, due to
unfavorable mounting of the camera or "indented" arrangements on a tool holder,
this area is too large, the quality and reliability of the evaluation will suffer.
Note
Particularly when using grab units, you should make sure that only the relevant
evaluation areas of the object exist in the field of view and not parts of the grab
unit. If this proves to be impossible due to the mechanical properties of the system,
the grab unit should be moved when training the background to avoid creating
additional "don't care" areas for the evaluation. When training the good parts, you
must, however, then make sure that all the components of the grab unit visible in
the picture and in contact with the actual test object are also evaluated and
therefore directly influence the quality of the result!
If you use the automatic trigger (the device permanently records pictures and
decides automatically whether and when a new part is present for evaluation), the
parts in the field of view of the sensor must only move horizontally from left to right
or right to left. The conveyor speed must be constant so that the objects can be
manipulated after the test at the right position (for example at an ejector).
If the speed changes during operation, the objects will be selected and
manipulated either too early or too late by the SIMATIC VS 110. Your system is no
longer functioning correctly.
While the objects are moving through the sensor field of view one of the two
silhouettes is visible depending on the position of the object in the image field. With
test objects that extend a long way in the z direction this effect can lead to incorrect
test results in the automatic trigger mode since the visible surface changes
depending on the perspective. In this case, an external trigger should be used.
Note
To achieve a reliable and error-tolerant evaluation, the Vision Sensor SIMATIC
VS 110 also returns a NOK signal if the image obtained cannot be evaluated (for
example due to an image or illumination disturbance). It is therefore absolutely
necessary in the autotrigger mode to use the evaluation signal of the VS 110
directly. Linking the quality signal of the SIMATIC VS 110 and an initiator signal at
the ejector position using a shift register in the additional controller should be
avoided!
The use of a precise external trigger (for example a precise light barrier) always
improves the maximum achievable precision of the evaluation. The test object is
always recorded at the same position and therefore always has the same distortion
resulting from the perspective.
It is also advisable to use the external trigger particularly with test objects whose
dimensions or transport speed approaches the limits of the permitted specifications
for the SIMATIC VS 110 you are using.
In the setup mode, the SIMATIC VS 110 returns a live image of the sensor field of
view via the serial port. To set the optimum trigger position and arrangement of the
sensor head during setup, the SIMATIC VS 110 shows the corresponding image in
the stop mode for 4 seconds after each trigger signal (in later versions for 60
seconds). On completion of this time, the device returns to the live image mode.
If the time in which the triggered image is displayed is not adequate, it is possible
to display the triggered image permanently until the next trigger signal is received.
To do this, follow the steps outlined below:
1. Select the "Train" menu command from the main menu and then select a
model. Confirm with OK.
2. "Train background" is displayed on the device.
IMPORTANT: Do not confirm this display with OK but remain in this menu item
(before training the background). Otherwise, you would delete the previously
trained model stored at this memory location!
3. As of the next incoming trigger signal, only the triggered pictures are sent over
the serial interface. You can now set the optimum trigger position and sensor
head position.
4. When you are finished, remember to close the menu with "ESC" otherwise you
will trigger a new training sequence.
The evaluation of a test object compared with the trained reference test object is
made exclusively based on the fundamental surface match if the "Y-Limit disable"
parameter is set and does not take into account the difference height of an object
compared to the trained reference part. This ensures that differences in height of
the test objects, for example due to unevenness in the conveyor belt does not have
a negative influence on the evaluation.
Note
• In applications in which higher and flatter but otherwise practically identical
objects need to be distinguished, you should always select the "Y-Limit enable"
parameter and train the objects in the A and B views. The parts are then
distinguished as OK_A and OK_B and test objects differing from these two
trained objects are classified as NOK.
• In applications in which the required object must be distinguished in the image
from similar objects with an identical shape but different height, select "Y-Limit
disable" and train the object only in the A view. All test objects that do not
match this part will then be classified as NOK.
As a basic rule: The closer your application comes to the limits specified for
successful use of the SIMATIC VS 110 (for example in terms of part dimensions,
distance between parts), the more important precise (reproducible) feed of the test
objects and reduction of the feed rate become.
The use of an external trigger also improves the evaluation when the application is
close to the specified limits. By using a precise sensor, the part being checked is
then always recorded at the same point in the image window and effects such as
distortion caused by perspective are reduced significantly.
Conveyor Conveyor
Right edge
The sensor is mounted turned through 90° so that the object to be tested extends
beyond the bottom of the image.
Note
Make sure that you always check the end of the test object that has at least one
important characteristic that allows the type to be distinguished.
A gap must be created in the conveyor system so that the end of the object to be
evaluated is freely visible in front of the illumination unit. To allow the SIMATIC
VS 110 to function reliably, the largest possible free area is helpful, however for
problem-free transportation of the objects (wherever possible without interruption
and limit stop), a mechanical compromise is necessary here. The minimum length
of the gap should, however, be at least 25 mm (for sensor head type
6GF1 002-8AA) or approximately 20 mm (for sensor head type 6GF1 002-8BA).
Based on experience, the test objects must then be at least 2.5 to 3 times longer
than this gap.
The exact position of the test object must be signaled to the SIMATIC VS 110 by
an external trigger (light barrier, etc.). If you also want the length of the object to be
included in the evaluation, the other end of the object (the end that is not tested by
the SIMATIC VS 110) must be used as the trigger point. The trigger signal must
be a rising edge. The layout of the conveyor therefore only shows the "upper"
(actually the front or back) edge of the test object, the major condition of the
specification for the SIMATIC VS 110 (test object touching the edge only at the
bottom) is therefore adhered to.
By training the test object (in the graphic above this is a shaft with a turned,
tapered end) in view A (shaft in correct position) and view B (shaft the wrong way
round), both the position of the test object can be detected and an incorrect type
(different shape of the shaft end, different diameter, possibly also a different
length) can be detected. If the trigger operates extremely precisely and you select
"Y-Limit enable" and set a comparatively low tolerance, the correct length of the
test object can also be evaluated relatively accurately!
• If two test objects are very similar, it is usually helpful to include and evaluate
only the relevant characteristics in the image. This is illustrated by the following
four images:
The two original views of the bolt reveal only minimal differences (small
chamfer at one end of the bolt). With a well-positioned mask on the illumination
unit, only the upper part of the bolt is seen, the relative difference between
chamfer left and chamfer right (relative to the remaining visible surface of the
bolt) is now greater. With this arrangement, the minimum required height of the
test object in the image as explained in the manual of the SIMATIC VS 110
must be kept to. This effect could, of course, be greatly increased if the bolt is
fed through standing with only the end of the bolt being visualized.
By masking the unimportant parts, only the upper clamp is taken into account
in this example, the base with the large thread is excluded from the surface
comparison. The upper clamp can now be evaluated with greater precision and
sensitivity.
• With a skillfully modified arrangement of the sensor head and illumination unit,
it may well be possible to achieve a clear distinction between parts that differ
from each other as objects in space, but that would have no significant
differences when viewed with an arrangement according to the SIMATIC VS
110 specification and could therefore not be tested. This trick involves, in
particular, deep objects or objects with a significant difference in contour along
the depth axis. By inclining the sensor head to the transport axis (depending on
the application and mechanical setup, approximately 30° to 60°), it is also
possible to include the depth axis of the test object in the evaluation.
Depending on the application, it may then be necessary to incline the
illumination unit as well.
Illumination
Conveyor
Sensor head
The parts would be identical in the
backlight with the normal installation
of the sensor .
The inclined angle of the sensor
makes recognition possible.
This method does, however, only allow a rough evaluation due to the
considerable perspective distortion; a precise comparison with the guaranteed
evaluation accuracy according to the specification is therefore not possible.
Note
If you are testing an object similar to the one in the picture above, make sure that
you choose an external trigger. Since the two contact studs have an identical
shape, if it was triggered automatically, the SIMATIC VS 110 would assume two
individual, identical parts and evaluate each stud separately. All the separate,
unconnected parts in the sensor field of view are interpreted as belonging together
only when you use external triggering!
Note
This method aiming at high evaluation precision can only be used to any practical
purpose when the test objects are fed through very precisely and an external
trigger is used. This remains a comparative method based on the comparison of
the contour surface of the test object before the backlight with the trained reference
surface. There is no actual measurement of the test object even with this
approach.