Choosing an integrator

Sometimes it’s preferable to have an integrator handle your machine vision application, rather than doing it yourself. Perhaps you’ve got other priorities, or lack familiarity with the technology. Maybe you just don’t have the resources to develop and integrate a system. Whatever the reason, at some point all of us fall back on using an integrator to handle our vision application. So how do you ensure you’ve picked a good one?

Ed Diehl of Concept Systems discusses this issue in “How to Trust Your Integrator,” published on ControlDesign.com. The article covers a wide range of automation/control engineering applications, not just vision, but I believe the conclusions are as valid for us as for other users of integration services.

I was also intrigued to learn that there is a Control System Integrators Association, which provides a certification process for their members. I wonder if the AIA should provide something similar, tailored to the needs of machine vision users.

Just a thought.