Simulating vision system operation

How many times have you found yourself wishing, months after an inspection system was delivered, that you had a clone in your workshop? On this you could try out all those improvement ideas that come to you while in the bath, or that are forced upon you by the scope-creeping customer.

The problem is that while you can process images offline to your heart’s delight, you can’t run the actual production software because all the triggering and I/O is missing. What you need is a box that simulates these aspects of the real system.

Oh look, I’ve found one!

Imago Technologies of Friedberg, Germany, have a “Camera Link Simulator” (look under Products, then scroll down to Accessories,) that will behave just like the cameras in the production system. No information on pricing, but I can imagine it being a useful gadget for someone in the integration business.