Cognex Designer Vision Software Features

Cognex Designer makes it faster to build complete vision applications and allows developers to more easily take full advantage of the powerful VisionPro® tool library. A graphical, flow-chart-based programming environment results in a diagrammatic representation that’s easier to understand, explain to others, and maintain.

Key benefits of using Cognex Designer

• Integrate seamlessly with Cognex-certified vision controller, cameras, and 3D sensors
• Solve applications with the comprehensive VisionPro library of 2D and 3D vision tools
• Create custom plugins for hardware such as robots, motion stages, and machine control
• Incorporate system features including built-in user access levels, real-time alarms, localizable interfaces, and SQL database logging
• Deploy a professional graphical user interface with 3D visualization

	1: Configure Vision  – Drag and drop data flow configuration for vision applications. Use interactive edit controls to set vision tool properties. Add plug-ins for external hardware devices such as 3D sensors, cameras, and I/O devices.
	2: Develop HMI  –  Create a professional runtime operator interface to monitor and control your vision application.
	3: Connect  – Configure I/O and factory floor communications, control motion equipment, and archive results.
	4: Deploy  Install on a vision controller or industrial PC.

Cognex VC5 Vision Controller

The Cognex VC5 Vision Controller provides users a pre-qualified, ready-to-go, Cognex trusted brand vision system to create, deploy, and maintain 3D and 2D multi-camera machine vision applications.

The Cognex VC5 Vision Controller directly connects to Cognex industrial GigE Vision® cameras and Cognex 3D laser displacement sensors and allows for the combination of up to four area scan, line scan or 3D displacement sensors. Integrated and pre-qualified hardware and software does away with third party accessory evaluation and avoids driver incompatibility and similar performance issues to reduce development time and sourcing complexity.

The robust, fan-less design has no moving parts, which allows the VC5 to offer high vibration immunity and makes it suitable for dusty industrial environments. The VC5 offers high-speed parallel image acquisition from cameras or 3D displacement sensors and includes a rich set of discrete I/O and encoder inputs, deterministic precision I/O sub-system, and networking capabilities for common factory protocols.

Summary of Key Capabilities

• Camera Ready – Immediate connectivity for up to 4 GigE Cognex Industrial Cameras or Cognex 3D Displacement Sensors
• 4 independent GigE channels for simultaneous acquisition with Power Over Ethernet (PoE)
• MADE for the factory floor – Fan-less, solid state hard drive, PLC and I/O integration
• Dedicated factory Communication – Allen-Bradley/Rockwell EIP, Siemens PROFINET, Mitsubishi SLMP, and TCP/IP protocol support
• Discrete I/O – 24 Opto isolated Precision I/O (8 in, 16 out) with dedicated CPU, 24V capable
• Quadrature Encoder Input
• Complete Cognex Vision Software included – The VC5 comes pre-installed with the latest release of Cognex Designer and VisionPro software for machine vision application development, including PatMax®, IDMax®, OCRMax® and now PatMax AutoTune
• Integrated License Security is built into the hardware

Organizations can be more efficient in their vision application development and deployment without having to worry about PC selection, camera and IO connectivity, or software installation incompatibilities.

Organizational Benefits

• Pre-qualified by Cognex – The VC5 has been pre-qualified and tested by Cognex for all its GigE Cognex Industrial Cameras and its 3D displacement sensors
• One-stop shopping – Organizations order hardware and software together (Cognex VC5, Designer, and cameras/sensors) – no questions about what goes together.
• Tested by Cognex – No questions about what works together, or worrying about incompatible drivers, etc.
• Installed by Cognex – Software (Designer with VisionPro and vision tools) comes pre-installed by Cognex on the Cognex VC5 hardware – no need to worry about an installation procedure.
• Long-term hardware availability – The long-term availability of the VC5 Vision Controller allows customers to standardize on a hardware platform.
• All supported by Cognex – Organizations can call one, single company for technical support for their vision hardware and software, rather than going back-and-forth between multiple companies

Typical Cameras/Sensors Ordered Together:

This hardware is always ordered with Cognex CIC Industrial Cameras for 2D multi-camera applications and/or Cognex 3D Displacement Sensors for 3D applications to provide a complete vision system delivered and supported by Cognex.

VC5 Architecture

Download the VC5 Vision Controller Datasheet
Download the DS1000 Series Datasheet
Download the Cognex Industrial Cameras Datasheet

The Cognex 8704e is a new 4-port GigE Frame Grabber card available for use with Cognex and third-party cameras. It is the recommended GigE interface card for all new vision software applications going forward for organizations building their own industrial PCs for machine vision.

This card interfaces with up to four Cognex Industrial Cameras or third-party GigE cameras to your PC. It is qualified by Cognex for use with Cognex software and hardware. Cognex Designer and VisionPro software are included with the purchase of this card.

Capabilities:

• Interface 1 to 4 Cognex Industrial Cameras or third-party GigE Vision Cameras to your PC for single or multi-camera vision development
• 4 independent channels with Power Over Ethernet (PoE) allow for simultaneous, 4-channel acquisition with no additional power cables needed
• PCI Express compliant
• Jumbo Frames
• Integrated License Securityis built into this hardware for Cognex Designer, VisionPro, and Cognex vision tools to replace previous hardware dongles that can become misplaced or compromised at organizations.

Software Included:
The latest release of Cognex Designer Vision Software for machine vision application development is included with this hardware. The hardware also includes the latest VisionPro Vision software for access to the complete library of Cognex vision tools, including PatMax AutoTune.

Typical Cameras/Sensors Ordered Together:
This frame grabber is typically ordered with Cognex cameras or sensors (Cognex CIC Industrial Cameras for 2D multi-camera applications and/or Cognex 3D Displacement Sensors for 3D applications), or third-party 2D cameras that support the GigE standard. You may also order this hardware together with the Cognex CC24 I/O card if you need I/O or factory floor integration.

Cognex ready-to-go vision system now available:
The 8704e is suitable for those building their own industrial PC system. For users that are ready to obtain a pre-qualified, ready-to-go vision system, Cognex now provides complete vision software systems available with the Cognex VC5 Vision Controller. .

The Cognex CC24 is an I/O and factory integration card available for developing machine vision software applications with Cognex and third-party cameras. It is the recommended I/O and factory floor integration card for all new vision software applications going forward for organizations building their own industrial PCs for machine vision.

The CC24 is qualified by Cognex for use with Cognex software and hardware. Cognex Designer and VisionPro software are included with this I/O and PLC card.

Capabilities:

• Discrete I/O: 24 Precision I/Os controlled by a dedicated, real time subsystem (8 inputs, optically isolated; 16 outputs, optically isolated)
• Encoder support: For connecting a single-ended or quadrature encoder
• Factory communication supported: EIP, PROFINET, SLMP, and TCP/IP
• Dedicated on-board CPU processing
• Dedicated real-time subsystem: Enables Hardware Event Manager, delay lines, advanced handshaking without loading vision processing
• Integrated License Security is built into this hardware for Cognex Designer, VisionPro, and Cognex vision tools to replace hardware dongles that can become misplaced or compromised at organizations.

Software Included: The latest release of Cognex Designer Vision Software for machine vision application development is included with this hardware. The hardware also includes the latest VisionPro Vision software for access to the compete library of Cognex vision tools, including PatMax AutoTune.

Typical Cameras/Sensors/Hardware Ordered Together:
This I/O and PLC card is typically ordered with the GigE Frame Grabber when building a machine vision system that uses Cognex CIC Industrial Cameras for 2D multi-camera applications and Cognex 3D Displacement Sensors for 3D applications, or third-party 2D cameras that support the GigE standard.

Cognex ready-to-go vision system now available:
The CC24 is suitable for those building their own industrial PC system. For users that are ready to obtain a pre-qualified, ready-to-go vision solution, Cognex now provides complete vision software systems available with the Cognex VC5 Vision Controller.

Cognex Industrial Cameras (CIC Cameras)

These Cognex cameras are typically ordered with the Cognex VC5 Vision Controller for users that are ready to obtain a Cognex pre-qualified, ready-to-go vision solution. Alternatively, this hardware is typically ordered with the Cognex 8704e GigE Frame Grabber for those building an industrial PC. Both the VC5 and 8704e include Cognex Designer and Vision Pro software, to offer a complete vision solution delivered and supported by Cognex.

GigE Vision and Camera Link options

Need a value solution? Require high-performance to meet the most demanding requirements? Cognex offers industrial cameras to meet a variety of application requirements.

Features

• VGA to 10MP Area Scan, or 4k Line Scan
• Global or rolling shutter
• Monochrome or color
• Single cable solution: GigE Vision with Power over Ethernet, or Power over Camera Link (PoCL)
• 3-year warranty

Model Comparison – GigE Cameras
Model	Resolution	Frame Rate	Type	Sensor Technology	Color/ Mono
CAM-CIC-300	0.3MP	120fps	Area Scan	CCD/Global Shutter	M
CAM-CIC-1300	1.3MP	60fps	Area Scan	CMOS/Global Shutter	C, M
CAM-CIC-2000-20	2MP	20fps	Area Scan	CCD/Global Shutter	M
CAM-CIC-2000-60	2MP	60fps	Area Scan	CMOS/Global Shutter	M
CAM-CIC-4000	4MP	25fps	Area Scan	CMOS/Global Shutter	C, M
CAM-CIC-5MR/5000R	5MP	14fps	Area Scan	CMOS/Rolling Shutter	C, M
CAM-CIC-5000	5MP	17fps	Area Scan	CCD/Global Shutter	M
CAM-CIC-10MR	10MP	10fps	Area Scan	CMOS/Rolling Shutter	C, M
CAM-CIC-4KL-24	4k	24kHz	Line Scan	CMOS/Linear	M
Model Comparison – CameraLink Cameras
Model	Resolution	Frame Rate	Type	Sensor Technology	Color/ Mono
CAM-CIC-4KL-80	4K	80kHz	Line Scan	CMOS/Linear	M

Cognex Designer and VisionPro with Cognex VC5, 8704e, or CC24 Hardware

Cognex offers complete vision solutions consisting of vision controllers, vision hardware, and vision software to allow organizations to build 2D, 3D, and multi-camera vision software applications.

As a result, Cognex Designer and VisionPro software are provided together when you order the Cognex VC5 Vision Controller, 8704e Frame Grabber, or CC24 IO and PLC card.  Specifically, a deployment license is provided that allows you to both develop and deploy the application into production.   Since you purchased Cognex Designer together with hardware, you have a validated vision test solution qualified by Cognex.

• The Cognex VC5 Vision Controller is recommended for users that are ready to obtain a Cognex pre-qualified, ready-to-go vision solution.
• Alternatively, if you are building your industrial PC, you will typically order Cognex Designer with the Cognex 8704e GigE Frame Grabber
• Alternatively, if you are building your industrial PC and need I/O, you will typically order Cognex Designer with the Cognex CC24 IO and PLC Communications Card