At Vision 2024, the world’s leading trade fair for image processing, which takes place in Stuttgart from 8 to 10 October 2024, SICK (Hall 10, Stand D41) will provide a comprehensive overview of its entire range of 2D and 3D vision sensors. It will also present intelligent camera systems for quality control or robot guidance through image processing. The focus is on the new high-speed 3D camera Ranger3 with color capabilities, 3D cameras from the Ruler3000 product family, and variants of the 3D ToF snapshot sensor Visionary-T Mini. Many of these products are ready-to-use systems with hardware – technologies specific to SICK.
3D image processing (especially at high speed) and artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly becoming indispensable tools for better automation. In particular, the ability to easily configure, operate and evaluate even by people with little experience in image processing is important. Both technologies improve process and product quality and increase the performance and productivity of machines and robots. “For users, experts and novices, this means increased efficiency and flexibility, less downtime, optimal results and reduced resource consumption,” summarises Sven Sattler, Team Leader Machine Vision Solutions, Customer Project Engineering, SICK Vertriebs-GmbH, Düsseldorf. “With the portfolio we are presenting at VISION 2024, we are responding exactly to the needs of these customers.”
Ranger3: outstanding high-speed performance in color and 3D
Ranger3 High-Speed Color is the latest version of SICK’s successful Ranger product family of 3D cameras. Designed for high-throughput production environments, this streaming camera offers an optional 2.5 Gbps network interface, 3D profiles up to 69 kHz, 2D line scan in RGB color and grayscale with 5120 pixels, as well as 3D, reflected and scattered light measurement data, all in one device.
Characterized by outstanding 3D performance, CMOS sensors with SICK’s ROCC technology (Rapid On-Chip Calculation) deliver outstanding image quality. The camera determines the true 3D shape of an object, independent of contrast and color, improving the quality of many products. The next generation of Ranger3 enables even faster and higher resolution RGB line scan capabilities. A standardized Gigabit Ethernet vision-compliant communication interface is available for data transmission.
Ruler3000: 3D streaming camera in modular industrial design for a wide range of applications
With the new compact cameras Ruler3002, 3004 and 3010, SICK is presenting a high-resolution 3D streaming camera for advanced image processing applications in industry and electronics at Vision 2024. Thanks to height resolution in the micrometer range, the Ruler3000 product family is expanded to capture the smallest details required when inspecting assemblies in the electronics and consumer goods industries, circuit boards and semiconductors.
Thanks to ROCC technology (fast on-chip calculation), the 3D sensor can capture object details even at high speeds, which means that inspection tasks for objects can be performed time-saving and provide measurements for process control and throughput can be increased accordingly. Further highlights of the new factory-calibrated 3D camera generation include compliance with the GigE Vision and GenICam image processing standards. This not only enables cost-effective and easy integration into systems and machines, but also easy commissioning and high user-friendliness.
Visionary-T Mini: cost-effective 3D image processing in a compact format
SICK’s compact Visionary-T Mini 3D snapshot camera has set the standard for this type of 3D vision sensor in terms of design, data quality and cost-effectiveness. Furthermore, its excellent data quality meets the essential requirements for industrial 3D image processing. The advanced 3D time-of-flight technology provides precise depth and intensity data for every pixel, even with strong light-dark contrasts and large snapshot capture areas.
Thanks to its extremely short image recording times, the Visionary-T Mini provides highly accurate data, even for moving objects. The clearly structured configuration software makes it easy to parameterize the device and allows the data to be flexibly adapted to the respective application. Cargo measurement for storage space optimization, position monitoring for robot guidance, human-machine collaboration scenarios in smart factories or driver assistance for collision avoidance are just some examples of industrial applications that can be solved with the Visionary-T Mini.
No expertise required: AI-based image processing with SICK Nova
Rule- and tool-based machine vision combined with AI-supported deep learning, wherever required, without the need for user expertise – with this combination, SICK Nova opens up new possibilities in industrial image processing. SICK Nova is the software base with an intuitive UX design for configuring tailor-made 2D and 3D vision solutions, making advanced applications for time management, quality control and intelligent inspection simple and easy to implement, even without expertise.
SICK Nova is available with a range of vision sensors from SICK, including Ruler3000 and Visionary-T Mini, as well as different image processing technologies in the form of hardware-specific sensor apps. SICK Nova enables easy implementation of applications in the field of industrial image processing using point-and-click configuration in a web browser. This enables users to flexibly combine and integrate image processing tools as required to solve their application. Furthermore, they can download additional tools or even develop them themselves. This means that the range of functions can be quickly and conveniently adapted to the respective application. As a scalable software kit for individual image processing applications, SICK Nova guarantees economical, future-proof solutions that optimally support digitalization initiatives in various industries and application fields.