Image Acquisitionand Proces

Image Analysis 175
7.2 USER SOLUTION: CONNECTOR PIN INSPECTION
USING VISION
N.D. Buck Smith
Cal-Bay Systems Inc.
3070 Kerner Boulevard, Suite B
San Rafael, CA 94901
Tel (415) 258-9400/Fax (415) 258-9288
e-mail: bsmith@calbay.com
Web site: www.calbay.com
A generic inspection system (Figure 7.11) for verifying defects in pin alignment of
standard male connectors was implemented using National Instruments LabVIEW
and the Vision Toolkit. The optical system includes a Pulnix TM-200 camera with
a Navitar TV-zoom lens and a Fostec ring light. The connector chassis is mounted
on a X-Y stage with stepper motors controlled by a PCI-7344 motion controller card
and a NI MID-7602 motor drive. Images are acquired using a NI PCI-1408 IMAQ
card, and the whole system is shrouded in a Þberglass enclosure mounted on a
aluminum frame. The stage has pushpins on X and Y directions to register the
connector chassis to the same repeatable position on each load with respect to the
camera (Figure 7.12).
The x and y steppers are connected to the NI MID drive, which is connected
to the PCI-7344 motion controller in the PCI slot in the PC. Video output of the
Pulnix camera is fed to the PCI-1408 in the PC via a BNC cable. The Fostec ring
light is mounted on the zoom lens such that it provides uniform illumination for the
whole chassis.
FIGURE 7.11 Connector inspection system demonstration.