Case study: Keyence’s smart camera implementation

Upgrading a legacy vision system often exposes how much risk is hidden in undocumented code and aging platforms, and this project from Keyence is a clear example of that reality.

Automation World explored a fragile, VB.NET-based inspection system that had become difficult to support and incompatible with a planned Windows 11 upgrade. Replacing it with a Keyence VS-Series smart camera shifted vision processing out of custom software and into dedicated hardware, with clear separation of responsibilities between the camera and an existing Compact GuardLogix PLC.

The takeaway is the reduction in long-term maintenance risk: onboard vision processing, native PLC integration using vendor-supplied EDS and UDT files, standard 24 VDC/PoE power options and discrete I/O make the system easier to troubleshoot, secure and support in a plant environment. Learn more in the full article from Automation World.