The Baty FV range, a field-of-view (FOV) vision system designed to support accurate, straightforward non-contact measurement is one of Bowers Group’s latest innovations with the capability of changing inspection processes for the better. In this Q&A, Geoff Jackson, Business Development Director at Bowers Group, shares insight into how the system helps improve speed, ease of use, and consistency, making it a practical choice for a wide range of production environments.
Q: What sets the Baty FV apart from other vision systems on the market?
A: Ease of use, accuracy, lighting options and measurement range. Most FOV style systems can measure simple parts very quickly once the inspection program has been created. However, capability is often limited by the lighting options. The ability to ‘see’ the features that need to be measured is key to the machine’s capability.
All FV’s offer very comprehensive lighting capability as standard. Thus, broadening the range of measurement problems that can be solved.
Q: How does the Baty FV support faster, more accurate inspection processes?
A: With the FV, this inspection creation process is extremely quick and easy and can even be done from CAD. It means that setup times are at a minimum. Once created, Inspections run almost instantly with hundreds of dimensions being checked on multiple parts in as little as a single second.
Q: Can you tell us about the user experience? How easy is it to use for operators of different skill levels?
A: To measure any part is simply a case of placing it on the stage and pressing the measure button. The machine does the rest by grabbing an image of the part and using it to locate its associated inspection program. It then measures the part, giving the operator an instant pass / fail classification. There is literally no skill or training required to check parts.
Q: Why is the Baty FV a smart investment for manufacturers looking to improve quality control?
A: Due to its measurement speed and easy setup. The FV range give an incredibly fast return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional inspection methods. In addition to that they are more accurate and provide full documented audit trail of the inspection, adding value to the customers that manufacturers are supplying parts to.
Q: How does the Baty FV handle complex measurement tasks?
A: More complex measurement tasks invariably require differing lighting conditions to enable the feature to be accurately captured by the camera. Any number of these unique lighting conditions can be combined in the same inspection. There may also be a need to re-focus to the different planes in which the features exist. The software automatically creates ‘layers’ within the inspection process, where all of these autofocus, and lighting change requirements are stored.
Q: What kind of feedback have you had from customers using the Baty FV in their production environments?
A: Feedback has been consistently that the FV was very accurate, very fast, attractively priced, easy to use and more importantly has improved quality at the same time as reducing costs.
Q: How does the Baty FV represent the future of non-contact measurement?
A: Latest telecentric optics, lighting and camera technology, coupled with an easy to use yet powerful software package, pave the way to future developments that will keep the FV series at the forefront of FOV measurement technology.
Find out more about the Baty Venture FV Range. Click here for more information.
