The aerospace industry has long been on the forefront of innovation when it comes to automation, particularly in the sphere of robotics. But they are also a major adopter of new embedded vision technology, whether it’s for production or in the final product. Embedded vision is a revolutionary new technology with significant disruptive potential in any industry.
The aerospace industry in particular, with lengthy backorders and long lead times, stands to gain a lot from embedded vision that can enhance productivity. Similarly, a safer and more reliable product can offer an advantage in a competitive global market. There are several ways that savvy aerospace manufacturers are cutting costs and improving their final products.
Embedded Vision for Aerospace Inspection
In the past, inspection of aircraft infrastructure, particularly dent damage to exterior surfaces, had to be completed with dial gauges or dial-test indicators. While these tools are cheap, they are susceptible to human error and inconsistencies.
New, 3D optical metrology equipment automates this process with a far greater level of accuracy and reliability. These systems produce a wealth of information about an aircraft’s exterior and are typically embedded within a handheld system. A human worker will still be taking the measurements, but they’re guiding a vision system that inspects the exterior with much better consistency. This speeds up the inspection process, contributing significantly to overall productivity.
Embedded Vision for Greater Visibility in the Cockpit
For some time now, embedded vision systems, typically thermal vision systems, have been used in aircraft cockpits to enhance visibility. Often, these displayed somewhat crude heat maps that gave pilots additional awareness beyond what their own eyes could see.
Now, combinations of enhanced vision systems (EVS) and synthetic vision systems (SVS) are giving pilots far greater visibility into their surroundings. Thermal images can be combined with information from additional sensors to create hyper-realistic renderings of runways and other key landmarks that give pilots a quicker and more accessible view of their flight path.
Embedded vision is a disruptive force in a wide range of industries. The aerospace industry has been adopting this technology more than ever and it continues to have a major impact on productivity and the safety of the end product.
To learn more on this topic, read our educational section on aerospace and machine vision to learn more.