5. Conclusion

The deployment of a machine vision application follows a number of stages which require skills and knowledge in several fields, as presented in this article. The first step is to define specifications, including information on the inspections to be carried out, on the dimensions, positions and shape of the objects to be inspected, on the nature of the materials making up these objects, and also on the constraints and production environment, such as the speed at which the products run, the distance separating them, the cycle time, the space available, etc. The definition of the specifications may involve a feasibility study carried out off-line. This study requires a sample of the product to be inspected, representative in terms of the number and type of defects to be detected. It must also include defect-free products and take into account the variability of defects. This sample can be...