Three-dimensional machine vision will be a key topic at Vision 2011, the international trade fair for the industry to be held Nov. 8 to 10. The third dimension is becoming more important in machine vision and is almost turning out to be a driving force behind innovation. At Vision 2011, Automation Technology is scheduled to present the C4-4090-GigE, a 12-megapixel, high-speed 3-D camera series with GenICam, which the manufacturer says is unique in the field of laser triangulation. (Images: Messe Stuttgart) “In an era when all kinds of electronic components are becoming increasingly complex and ever smaller, conventional 2-D test methods are reaching their limits because they do not cover the entire range of defects, such as an incorrect pin height,” said Dieter A. Riehl of Sirius Advanced Cybernetics, one of the companies that will be presenting at the show. During Vision 2011, Stemmer Imaging will introduce an intelligent 3-D profile sensor from the Gocator series LMI, a new type of precalibrated sensor, with which end users can easily configure 3-D tests. The advantages of 3-D machine vision test methods have been indicated by industry surveys conducted in Germany and the rest of Europe by the VDMA Machine Vision group and the European Machine Vision Association. The surveys show that the proportion of 3-D measuring tasks increased from 10 to 15 percent between 2008 and 2009. Vision 2011 will feature discussions of the best methods to realize 3-D imaging as well as the latest 3-D machine vision products, systems and application solutions, including not only image acquisition devices, but also software tools for evaluating and presenting data. For example, some exhibitors at Vision 2011 will demonstrate where and why 3-D machine vision methods can be used advantageously and the direction these methods are taking. Kappa optronics GmbH will present at Vision 2011 its Tauri-HD 02150 SDI, which, according the company, is the smallest high-definition CCD color camera. It can be used as a camera pair, primarily for stereo 3-D applications in real time; e.g., in remote handling technology. Also at the show, topics related to the realization of practical 3-D machine vision systems will be discussed, including integration issues, 3-D pattern recognition problems, and new opportunities and applications for 3-D systems, such as medical technology. The trade fair is expected to attract up to 340 exhibitors who will present their latest cameras, vision sensors, frame grabbers, software tools, illumination systems, lenses, accessories and complete systems. For more information, visit: www.messe-stuttgart.de