So who fancies Phoenix?

“The Vision Show” takes place in Phoenix, Arizona March 31 – April 2. Speaking as one who lives in the frigid Midwest, I really like the idea of spending a few days out in the desert, but I just can’t convince myself that it’s worth the expense.

Scanning the list of exhibitors, I see that fewer than 70 vendors are going to be there. The big absence is Cognex: presumably they believe there are more effective ways to spend their marketing dollars, especially since their vision sensor competitors like Keyence, Omron and Banner are also skipping the party.

This begs a question then: just who is “The Vision Show” for?

The promotional blurb gives the impression that it will be a great place for end-users of machine vision to meet with vendors, but I’m not sure I agree.

Most of the vendors are selling discrete hardware – lights, lenses and cameras – or software. There is a dearth of people selling solutions to factory problems. In other words, this show is for integrators, and maybe machine builders, but it is not an end-user show.

And that, dear reader, is why I will not be spending any time out in fabulous Phoenix.