Imager Delivers High-Speed Pattern And Color Matching

Targeting automated test and measurement (ATE) application developers working with C and C++, IMAQ Vision 5.0 provides high-speed pattern- and color-matching components to quickly detect common errors in the manufacturing process. Used in conjunction with a Pentium III MMX, 500-MHz computer, the pattern matching component finds objects in less than 20 ms. The application can identify missing or misplaced components, misaligned parts, loose or skewed parts, rotated and reversed parts, incorrect component sizes, excess solder and solder bridges, bent or lifted component leads, and color discrepancies. According to the company, automated inspection is accelerated with pattern matching because the application learns the pattern from a sample image or "golden template" and then uses an algorithm to search for every reoccurrence of the sample or template in each new image. A correlation algorithm checks for location accuracy with a typical angle accuracy of 0.1°. The application is compatible with Windows 98/NT/2000 and is priced at $1,995.