Matrox Imaging and DENSO collaborate on vision-based robot guidance

May 5, 2015
Direct communication link between Matrox Design Assistant machine vision software and DENSO RC8 robot controller implemented.

Matrox Imaging has announced its collaboration with DENSO WAVE, which will culminate in the extension of direct robot communication support in Matrox Design Assistant machine vision software to DENSO robots using the RC8 controller.

Matrox Design Assistant 4 is the first hardware-independent integrated development environment (IDE) that lets users easily create an application flowchart and HMI and take projects from concept to completion, without the need for conventional programming. Flexible project deployment options include Matrox Iris GT smart cameras, Matrox 4Sight GPm industrial imaging computers and PCs with standard GigE Vision® or USB3 Vision® cameras.

“Robot and vision systems integrators now have an easier way to create guidance applications that interact seamlessly with DENSO robots,” said Yousuke Sawada, manager, controller business unit, DENSO WAVE Incorporated. “Matrox Design Assistant is a powerful yet easy to use development environment and very versatile.”

Also read: EtherCAT Technology Group and OPC Foundation join forces for common IoT interfaces

According to Sam Lopez, director of sales and marketing at Matrox Imaging, “DENSO robots are widely used in manufacturing industries around the world to improve quality, increase productivity, ensure safety and provide flexibility."

"The company’s endorsement of Matrox Design Assistant through this collaboration will give our joint customers confidence that they can realize these benefits reliably and cost-effectively,” Lopez adds.

The Matrox Design Assistant robot communication protocol is network socket-based whereby the robot program requests a connection, the vision system accepts the connection, the robot program asks the vision project to locate the next part and the vision system provides the part location to the robot program. DENSO WAVE created a “Provider Software” add-on to perform this communication on the RC8 robot controller.