Matrox Imaging has announced new communication software that allows vision systems running Matrox Imaging software to interface directly, over an Ethernet link, with controllers from leading robot vendors including ABB and Fanuc. The socket-based communication protocol was developed by Centre de Robotique et de Vision Industrielles (CRVI), an experienced Quebec technology transfer centre specialising in industrial robotics and vision applications.
The communication protocol will help Matrox customers make use of robotics reliably and cost-effectively without the need to implement and integrate their own software protocols. The framework CRVI developed for the ABB IRC5 and Fanuc R-30 iA Mate controllers will be the basis of future support for other vendors' robots.
The communication software will first be available in the upcoming release 4.0 of Matrox Design Assistant (DA). Matrox DA is an intuitive flowchart-based development environment that lets manufacturing engineers and technicians configure and deploy machine vision applications on a highly integrated platform, without the need for conventional programming.
