Enhancing digital manufacturing with affordable vision systems: exploring low-cost applications

Vision systems play a pivotal role in the digitalization of manufacturing processes. They offer various benefits, such as quality control, process monitoring, and digitizing analog data. Developing vision systems can be a complicated, and expensive process, tailored to specific applications. However, not every problem requires a high-end solution. This paper aims to identify the scope of low-cost solutions that can be effectively addressed using simple vision systems. It adopts a ‘Shoestring’ design approach, focusing on developing vision systems tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). Essential service modules and building blocks are proposed, utilizing off-the-shelf components and open-source image processing software. A simplified development procedure is outlined and applied to two industrial case studies: legacy panel status monitoring and braid materials quality inspection. Both cases originate from SMEs and have been successfully tested and deployed on the shop floor. The study demonstrates the feasibility of implementing these cost-effective vision systems in SMEs, providing a valuable development guideline for low-cost vision applications in the industrial sector.