A number of recent indicators suggest that the vision industry has weathered the worst of the global recession and is poised to emerge with positive signs of growth. An informal survey of UK Industrial Vision Association (UKIVA) members attending the UK's Advanced Manufacturing exhibition earlier in 2010 revealed an upturn in enquiry levels and actual business since the beginning of 2010. Recently published surveys for 2010 from the European Machine Vision Association (EMVA) and the Automated Imaging Association (AIA) in the US predict an 11 per cent increase in turnover and a 2.6-4.6 per cent increase in sales respectively in their particular regions.
One of the reasons for these positive predictions may be the increased role of vision in industrial automation in manufacturing, where the two keys to competitiveness for manufacturing in the western economy in a world where labour costs are lower elsewhere are automation and quality. Vision can help to both reduce costs and ensure quality to a consistent and high standard, thus increasing competitiveness.
