Investing in automated visual inspection and sorting machines: costs, risks and performance evaluation

Total life-cycle costs of an automated visual inspection machine may more than double the quoted price of the inspection machinery. The costs consist of investment and maintenance costs, which are straightforward, and also of operation and performance costs, which are more hidden.

Risks related to automated visual inspection originate from poor machine design and poor inspection quality! There are four risks with considerable consequences that should be acknowledged.

It is recommended that the performance parameters are evaluated using a customer's product, not a generic product provided by the equipment supplier. For trustworthy evaluation of machine performance, it is preferred to conduct the three key tests on sensitivity, selectivity and operation.