Basic Concepts Required to Understand Vision Guide 8.0
Following is a quick explanation of some of the basic concepts which helps you to understand the contents of this chapter better.
Vision Sequences
A vision sequence is a grouping of vision objects in a specific order that can be executed from the Vision Guide window or from the SPEL+ language.
A vision sequence has specific properties that are used to set up vision sequence execution. For example, the Camera property defines which camera will be used to capture an image for this vision sequence and the RuntimeAcquire property defines how the image will be acquired for this vision sequence.
A vision sequence can be thought of as a type of container that holds all the necessary vision objects required to solve a specific Vision process or part of a process. In general a vision sequence is the starting point for all Vision Processing.
Vision Object
A vision object is a vision tool that can be applied to an image that is captured by the camera.
Some of the vision objects supported are: Geometric Search, Correlation Search, Blob Analysis, Polar Search, Edge Detection, Line Search, Arch Search, Differential Test, Line Creation, Points, and Frames.
All vision objects can be executed (applied to the current Image) and all return results such as how much time the vision object took to execute, position information, angle information, whether the vision object was even found, and whether the object was accepted.
Vision objects have properties that are used to define the characteristics of how the vision object will perform. They also have results that are the values that are returned after a vision object is executed.
Property
Properties can be thought of as parameters that are set for each vision object or vision sequence.
The setting of vision properties can be done in a point and click fashion from the Vision Guide window that provides for a quick method to build and test vision applications.
Vision properties can also be set and checked from the SPEL+ language. This provides the flexibility required for dynamic modifications of vision objects at runtime.
Vision sequence and vision object properties are very powerful because they are easily modified and help make vision objects easier to understand and use while at the same time they don’t limit the flexibility required for more complex applications.
Result
Results are the values that are returned from vision objects or vision sequences after they are executed. Examples of commonly used results include:
| Time | returns how much time the vision object or sequence took to execute. |
| RobotXYU | returns the X, Y, and U position of the found feature in robot coordinates. |
| Found | returns whether the vision object was found. |
| Passed | returns whether the result of the vision object was accepted. |
Vision results can be seen from within the Vision Guide window on the Sequence and Object windows. SPEL+ programs can also use vision results.
Runtime Vision Commands
A series of vision commands have been added to the SPEL+ robot language to provide a seamless integration of robot motion and vision guidance.
Commands such as VRun allow a user to initiate a vision sequence from the SPEL+ language with just one function call.
VGet allows a user to get the results that are returned from vision objects, sequences, and calibrations.
This is very powerful because vision sequences are created, modified and maintained from within the Vision Guide 8.0 point and click development environment but all things created within Vision Guide 8.0 are also accessible from the SPEL+ language.
Required Vision Hardware
To use the Vision Guide 8.0, either of the following hardware is required.
- Compact Vision CV2A (with the firmware ver.3.2.0.3 or later)
- PC Vision PV1
For details on defining tools, refer to the following.
"Vision Guide 8.0 Hardware & Setup"
Vision Guide 8.0 in Epson RC+ 8.0 Projects
Epson RC+ 8.0 is based on Projects that are containers of all the necessary programs, teach points, and robot settings required for a specific robot application.
This Project configuration makes it easy to use one robot for multiple projects or test environments to check out new ideas without destroying your old working applications.
When you create an Epson RC+ 8.0 application which includes Vision Guide 8.0, all the associated vision sequences and vision objects required for that application are kept within the project along with the other items normally contained in projects. This ensures that when you open an existing project, everything relating to this project is available to you.