Fanless industrial imaging computer with an intuitive, versatile and extendable integrated development environment for machine vision applications

Matrox 4Sight GPm with Design Assistant is a line of rugged, capable and configurable vision systems for rapid development and deployment onto the factory floor without the need for conventional programming. Equipped with up to four Gigabit Ethernet ports with power and up to four SuperSpeed USB ports, Matrox 4Sight GPm supports the use of multiple GigE Vision® and USB3 Vision™ industrial cameras to keep an eye on one or many production lines. Powered by a range of mobile-class embedded Intel® processors, it has the ability to cost-effectively handle typical multi-camera inspection applications. It can easily directly connect to factory automation equipment and enterprise systems through discrete I/O, Ethernet, RS232/RS485 and USB ports. An industrial-strength design and careful component selection ensure its long term availability.

• Tackle typical vision workloads with a mobile-class embedded Intel® processor
• Employ the right image sensor format, resolution and frame rate for the job by connecting any GigE Vision® or USB3 Vision™ camera
• Inspect multiple sites through the support for up to four GigE Vision® and up to four USB3 Vision™ cameras
• Simplify cabling for GigE Vision® installations using Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) enabled ports
• Connect separately to the factory floor and enterprise networks via up to two more Gigabit Ethernet ports
• Synchronize with other automation equipment using the integrated real-time digital I/Os with rotary encoder support and RS232/RS485 ports
• Install in space-limited hostile environments with a small footprint ruggedized casing
• Reduce service stoppages with a fanless design
• Employ for the long run with assurance as a result of a managed extended lifecycle

Our vision machine is used to put together solutions for the agricultural, aerospace, automotive, beverage, consumer, construction material, cosmetic, electronic, energy, food, flat panel display, freight, machining, medical device, paper, packaging, pharmaceutical, printing, resource, robotics, security, semiconductor, shipping, textile, and transportation industries.

• Matrox Design Assistant is an integrated development environment (IDE) where vision applications are created by constructing an intuitive flowchart instead of writing traditional program code. In addition to building a flowchart, the IDE enables users to directly design a graphical operator interface for the application. Design Assistant gives you the freedom to choose the ideal platform for your next vision project.

Customizable developer interface

• The Matrox Design Assistant user interface can be tailored by each developer. The workspace can be rearranged, even across multiple monitors, to suit individual preferences and further enhance productivity.

Why a flowchart?

• The flowchart is a universally accessible, recognized and understood method of describing the sequence of operations in a process. Manufacturing engineers and technicians in particular have all been exposed to the intuitive, logical and visual nature of the flowchart.

Image analysis and processing

Central to Matrox Design Assistant are flowchart steps for calibrating, enhancing and transforming images, locating objects, extracting and measuring features, reading character strings, and decoding and verifying identification marks. These steps are designed to provide optimum performance and reliability.

Color analysis

Matrox Design Assistant includes a set of tools to identify parts, products and items using color, assess quality from color, and isolate features using color.

1D and 2D measurements

Matrox Design Assistant includes three steps for measuring: Measurement, Bead Inspection and Metrology. These tools are predominantly used to assess manufacturing quality.

Matrox Profiler

Matrox Design Assistant includes Matrox Profiler, a separate utility to post-analyze the execution of a vision project for performance bottlenecks and timing issues. It presents the flowchart steps executed over time on a navigable timeline. Matrox Profiler permits searching for and selecting specific steps and their execution times for analysis. It computes statistics on execution times and presents these on a per step basis.

Pattern recognition

Matrox Design Assistant includes two steps for performing pattern recognition: Pattern Matching and Model Finder. These steps are primarily used to locate complex objects for guiding a gantry, stage or robot, or for directing subsequent measurement steps.

Character recognition

Matrox Design Assistant provides two steps for character recognition: SureDotOCR™ and String Reader. These steps combine to read text or dot-matrix text that is engraved, etched, marked, printed, punched or stamped on surfaces.

Feature extraction and analysis

The Blob Analysis step is used to identify, count, locate and measure basic features and objects (i.e., blobs) to determine presence and position, and enable further inspection. Over 50 characteristics can be measured and these measurements can be used to eliminate or keep certain blobs.