Machine vision's changing times

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As I've talked with vendors, analysts, and industry observers to learn more about the state of the machine-vision industry, what has struck me is how energetic and forward-looking everyone is.

This industry is experiencing major changes, including maturing markets, price erosion, and simultaneous demands for higher resolution and bandwidth while process technologies shrink and new materials come into play. But there's also a huge amount of creativity being aimed at these challenges, and much of it was on display at Semicon West (see "Vision and inspection products focus on higher resolution, faster processing").

Nearly every corner of the industry is harnessing new technologies, or new uses of existing technology. These include the increasing use of 3-D paste inspection for high-reliability and complex parts, the growing role of software, and new high-resolution capabilities of scanning electron microscopes that put these systems into another class altogether (see "SEM technology sees below 1 nm").

The digitization trend, such as in camera sensors, and open industry standards bring more flexible and scalable systems, improved interoperability, and ultimately lower costs. They also bring open platforms. And with digitization, open platforms, and standardization comes greater connectivity, such as the GigE Vision interface (see "GigE Vision expands in machine vision").

It's an exciting time to be in machine vision and inspection.

Contact Ann Thryft at ann@tmworld.com.