Cognex offers a full range of vision and ID products designed to meet customer
needs at different performance and price points. Our products range from low-cost
vision sensors that are easily integrated, to PC-based systems for users with
more experience or more complex requirements. Our products also have a variety
of physical forms, depending upon the user’s need. For example, customers
can purchase vision software to use with their own camera and processor, or
they can purchase a standalone unit that combines camera, processor, and software
into a single package.
Vision Software
Vision software provides users with the most flexibility by combining the full
general-purpose library of Cognex vision tools with the cameras, frame grabbers,
and peripheral equipment of their choice. The vision software may run on the
customer’s PC, which enables easy integration with PC-based data and controls.
Applications based upon Cognex vision software perform a wide range of vision
tasks, including part location, identification, measurement, assembly verification,
and robotic guidance. Cognex's VisionPro® software offers an extensive suite
of patented vision tools for advanced programming, while Cognex Designer allows
customers to build complete vision applications with the simplicity of a graphical,
flowchart-based programming environment. Cognex also offers a series of Displacement
Sensors that are sold with vision software for use in highly demanding three-dimensional
applications.
Vision Systems
Vision systems combine camera, processor, and vision software into a single,
rugged package with a simple and flexible user interface for configuring applications.
These general-purpose vision systems are designed to be easily programmed to
perform a wide range of vision tasks including part location, identification,
measurement, assembly verification, and robotic guidance. Cognex offers the
In-Sight® product line of vision systems in a wide range of models to meet
various price and performance requirements.
Vision Sensors
Unlike general-purpose vision systems that can be programmed to perform a wide
variety of vision tasks, vision sensors are designed to deliver very simple,
low-cost, reliable solutions for a limited number of common vision applications
such as checking the presence and size of parts. Cognex offers the Checker®
product line of vision sensors that performs single-purpose vision tasks. Late
in 2015, Cognex introduced a new vision sensor, the In-Sight 2000 Series, which
combines the power of an In-Sight vision system with the simplicity and affordability
of a vision sensor.
ID Products
ID products quickly and reliably read codes (e.g., one-dimensional barcodes
or two-dimensional data matrix codes) that have been applied to, or directly
marked on, discrete items during the manufacturing process. Manufacturers of
goods ranging from automotive parts, pharmaceutical items, aircraft components,
and medical devices are increasingly using direct part mark (DPM) identification
to ensure that the appropriate manufacturing processes are performed in the
correct sequence and on the right parts. In addition, DPM is used to track parts
from the beginning of their life to the end, and is also used in supply chain
management and repair.
Cognex also offers applications in the automatic identification market outside
of the manufacturing sector, such as using ID products in logistics automation
for package sorting and distribution. As shipping volumes grow, more distribution
centers are choosing to upgrade their traditional laser-based scanners to image-based
barcode readers, which will cost-effectively increase package sorter efficiency
and throughput by improving read rates. Cognex offers the DataMan® product
line of ID readers that includes both hand-held and fixed-mount models.