ACS News
ACS wishes you and your loved ones the most joyous of a holiday season.
We also take this time to reflect on how grateful we are to know each of our customers, vendors, and associates. Each of them, and you, are important to us, and we look forward to the coming year and what it may bring. Our offices will be closed on:
12/24, 12/25, 12/31, and 1/1
The articles in this newsletter are our most popular ones from this past year.
We hope you enjoy them!
VisionPro Deep Learning Shows Early Promise in Identifying Images of COVID-19 in Chest X-Rays
Medical images like X-rays are critical to confirming a COVID-19 diagnosis — giving doctors and radiologists visual evidence that laboratory tests are accurate. Moreover, deep learning software can lighten the workload of clinicians by analyzing thousands of medical images and identifying anomalies that refute or support a diagnosis.

A team of AI experts at Cognex set out to surmount this obstacle with a base question: Could Cognex’s industrial automation software provide an easy-to-use alternative that can match the performance of the world’s top open-source deep learning tools?

“We were surprised to learn that it’s easy for the software to differentiate between the pathologies that show up on X-rays,” said Vandenhirtz, Cognex’s Senior AI Expert for Life Sciences. "It is nearly impossible for humans to figure out differences in X-ray images with different pathologies. Five radiologists can give five different opinions on these kinds of images.”
Automation Tools Paired Together Can
Create All of Your Solutions
Advanced Control Solutions created a new demo featuring automation solutions from Cognex (machine vision), Smart Vision Lights (backlight and diffuse lighting), Universal Robots (collaborative robot), Robotiq (vacuum gripper on robot), and 80/20 (framing).
In the first video, a medicine blister pack is being picked and placed. In the second video, a box is being picked and placed. The pick & place actions are in correlation with the objects being passed or failed by the machine vision.
Bringing Powerful Part Feeding to
Award-Winning Epson Robots
Powered by Epson robots, IntelliFlex Software, and Vision Guide, the IntelliFlex is a simple feeding solution to accommodate a wide variety of parts.
  1. Vision Guide: Identifies part sizes, shapes, and positions to automatically optimize picking order. Vision development time is drastically reduced using a point-and-click interface
  2. Flexible Feeder: Supports part sizes ranging from 5 to 150 mm. Compatible with a wide range of parts, simple to complex as well as delicate materials
  3. Robot: Seamlessly integrated with the vision system, flexible feeder and Epson RC+ software, an Epson 6-Axis or SCARA robot efficiently picks the singulated parts

  • Reduce installation & configuration time
  • Easily tackle high-mix low-volume applications
  • Quick parts changeover
  • Easily optimize for complete parts control: smart auto-tuning automatically adjusts the feeder parameters for new parts setup using built-in artificial intelligence
  • Unique directional vibration capabilities: multi-axis vibration technology for optimized parts control and singulation

ACS possesses this pairing in-office, so you can send us your prove-outs!
Top-Notch Barcode Reading for Rugged Environments
Manufacturing environments in automotive, medical device, electronics, aerospace, and product security industries require rugged, high performing, and easy to use barcode reading technology to ensure top component traceability and productivity. DataMan 8700 series handheld barcode readers decode the toughest direct part mark (DPM) and label-based codes while withstanding harsh oils, dirt, and water. A built-in display screen enables quick setup and operator feedback, and the readers support a broad range of industrial protocols and communications to connect and operate efficiently in any facility.
  • Robust oil and water resistant housing
  • Premium read performance in milliseconds
  • OLED display screen makes setup easy
  • Supports more communication options