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Machine and factory automation provider B&R, part of ABB's Robotics & Factory Automation division, introduced a next-generation Smart Camera that brings advanced artificial intelligence directly into the machine control loop. With integrated edge AI capabilities, the new camera enables real-time vision processing, dynamic model switching, and hybrid AI–rule-based inspection without halting production or requiring external hardware.
Unlike conventional systems that depend on external PCs or PLCs, B&R’s solution processes image data locally, enabling real-time AI inference at the edge via an edge AI processor. The Smart Camera supports a full suite of AI-based vision functions from MVTec—including optical character recognition (OCR), anomaly detection, object detection, classification, and semantic segmentation. These can be combined with traditional rule-based algorithms in a hybrid workflow, enabling users to balance the flexibility of AI with the speed and precision of conventional vision. This hybrid approach can serve complex inspection tasks such as identifying product types, detecting subtle defects, and verifying printed codes—all in a single pass and with a single device.
Designed for rapid deployment, the Smart Camera integrates seamlessly into B&R’s Automation Studio engineering environment. A low-code interface allows automation engineers to configure AI vision tasks, simulate results, and manage models without specialist expertise. Existing Smart Camera installations can be upgraded with a simple drop-in replacement.
B&R’s factory-calibrated optics and lighting improve imaging repeatability by a purported factor of 10 or more, enabling high-quality input for deep learning models, more accurate detection, fewer false positives, and better long-term performance.
The Smart Camera is built to handle unpredictable variations in materials, lighting, and positioning. Its ability to perform multiple inspection tasks in one pass reduces hardware requirements and shortens cycle times—delivering measurable gains in productivity and quality.
Find out more about Industrial AI’s Role in the Digital Transformation of Industries.