High-Speed Ceramic Cover Inspection with PCIE-1121 Frame Grabber

Overview

To meet the rigorous quality standards in mobile phone manufacturing, a leading ceramic cover production line required ultra-precise visual inspection and real-time process control. The core of the visual inspection system was the Advantech PCIE-1121 — a high-performance Camera Link frame grabber designed for fast, reliable image acquisition in industrial environments.

System Requirements

Building an efficient ceramic cover production system demanded ultra-fast motor response, precise I/O management, and high-performance machine vision. This particular application operating in tight production cycles, which meant response times needed to be in the microsecond range to meet the demands of multi-axis robotic arm assemblies and rapid part positioning. To minimize development time and maximize integration speed, the system required simplified connectivity alongside high-speed responsiveness. 

Because the automated loading/unloading mechanism involved numerous cylinders, sensors, and electromagnetic valves, it was crucial to integrate stable, high-throughput data acquisition cards with robust multi-channel I/O support. The system specifically required:

• 108 digital inputs and 96 digital outputs 
• Efficient use of limited PCI slots (conserving space for motion control cards)

In a high-speed, high-volume production environment, defects can occur at any stage — from fabrication to transport. Therefore, a high-performance visual inspection system was essential. This called for a Camera Link-based frame grabber with support for high frame-rate cameras to ensure image clarity and low latency. 

Lastly, all control and management functions needed to be consolidated on a single, easy-to-maintain platform, requiring:

• A system with at least 4 PCI slots and 2 PCIe slots
• A mid- to high-tier processor 
• Proven industrial-grade stability for long-term 24/7 operation

System Description

The system’s workflow is divided into three major stages:

1. Material Loading

Raw materials are loaded into the system using automated arms and conveyor mechanisms. This triggers the first round of motor alignment and sensor validation.

2. Visual Inspection

As parts are positioned, multiple cameras connected via the PCIE-1121 Camera Link frame grabber capture images from various angles at high speeds. These images are analyzed in real-time for surface defects, dimensional inconsistencies, or positioning errors.

• OK parts proceed automatically to the next stage. 
• NG (Not Good) parts are rejected and diverted.

Statistical data such as production volume, defect rates, and throughput efficiency are continuously logged and visualized.

3. Material Unloading & Packaging

Approved workpieces are offloaded and sent for final packaging. Any final quality checks are triggered by automated logic based on visual inspection results.

System Diagram

Why Advantech?

Advantech was chosen for its deep domain expertise in motion and machine vision integration, as well as its extensive portfolio of industrial-grade components: 

PCIE-1121, Camera Link Frame Grabber

• Enables high-speed, multi-angle visual monitoring by interfacing directly with Camera Link cameras
• Supports Base/Medium/Full/80-Bit type, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of industrial cameras 
• Provides low-latency image acquisition with real-time triggering and high frame rate support

PCI-1203, 2-Port EtherCAT Universal PCI MDevice Card

• Supports up to 16 axes and can group them for multi-axis coordination 
• Built-in dual-core 650 MHz Arm® processor ensures real-time diagnostics and error handling
• Compatible with Common Motion SDK, accelerating both initial development and future upgrades
  

PCI-1758UDIO, Digital I/O Card

• Offers 128 isolated digital channels for managing sensors, valves, lights, and emergency stop controls
  
• Built-in ESD protection, digital filtering, and robust signal processing for industrial reliability

ACP-4020, Industrial PC

• Industry-proven 4U chassis for harsh environments
• Accommodates required PCI/PCIe expansion cards while offering long-term reliability and upgrade potential
• Paired with AIMB-786 motherboard for powerful computing and versatile connectivity