Automated quality inspection has a reputation problem. If you ask production managers why they haven't implemented it yet, the might include: too complex, too expensive, requires expertise we don't have.
OMRON Europe
"If a manufacturer or machine builder says that machine vision is too complicated for their team, they could be thinking of how these systems worked a decade ago." says Jamie Steed, EMEA product marketing manager for Vision & Code Reading at OMRON Europe.
Start with the right question
Before evaluating any technology, OMRON recommends manufacturers ask a question first: is machine vision the right fit with this particular application?Automated inspection delivers strong results when the conditions are right: recurring defects that are reaching customers, inspection bottlenecks limiting throughput, measurable scrap and rework costs that justify the investment, or compliance requirements that manual processes struggle to meet consistently. Manufacturers who can describe what a defective part looks like, and produce physical samples, are typically in a good position to move forward. A feasibility test with a supplier will quickly confirm whether the application is viable.
Understand what defects are actually costing you
One of the most useful exercises before any technology conversation is quantifying the status quo. Warranty claim costs, annual scrap and rework figures, the labour cost of manual inspection across shifts, and the risk of inadequate compliance documentation together often produce a stronger business case than expected. Many manufacturers may underestimate these costs because they are spread across different budget lines and rarely attributed directly to quality.
Know which standards apply
Quality frameworks have direct implications for how an inspection system needs to be designed and what data it must capture. Automotive manufacturers under IATF 16949 need full traceability and SPC integration. Pharmaceutical and medical device producers must meet FDA 21 CFR Part 11 or EU GMP Annex 11 for tamper-evident electronic records. Food and consumer goods manufacturers supplying major retailers may need GS1-compliant label verification. ISO 9001-certified operations need inspection results that feed into quality management records. Getting clarity on applicable standards and regulations before system selection avoids costly retrofitting later.
What modern systems can realistically do
AI-based inspection systems learn from real product images, handling surface defects of inconsistent appearance without requiring explicit rules for every defect type. This was something that made traditional vision projects fragile and slow to commission. Guided setup interfaces mean existing operators can configure and manage systems without specialist support. For high-mix lines, automatic parameter switching handles product changeovers without physical recalibration.
How to find out if it is right for you
OMRON recommends arriving at any initial conversation with four things: physical sample parts (both good and defective); a rough figure for what current inspection failures cost annually; clarity on which quality standards apply; and confirmation of the line controller communication protocol. With those in hand, an application feasibility test gives manufacturers a clear picture of expected performance before any capital commitment is made.