Industry-leading automation solution provider Omron Automation Americas recently launched a new Factory Drive Recorder software that is fully compatible with the Omron M Series cameras. This easy-to-use solution helps engineers perform high-level corrective maintenance in the life science, automotive, semiconductor, electronics, machine tooling, and food and beverage industries.

Determining the causes of errors during production can be difficult and time-consuming. This is due to a lack of readily available evidence leading up to and immediately following a precipitating event. Moreover, many traditional event capture systems are either too expensive to purchase or too complicated to set up. Thus, companies must often have experts and dedicated personnel available to maintain and run them.

Out-of-the-Box Solution

The Factory Drive Recorder is designed to be an affordable, out-of-the-box solution. Specifically, it has the ability to record video up to 5 minutes before and after a designated incident based on a variety of triggers. Moreover, it can monitor up to eight cameras on a single system. This function allows designers and engineers to monitor error detection at multiple locations when an incident occurs.

Engineers can utilize the following four triggering methods to prompt recording. These methods inlcude time-based (triggering every X period of time), motion detection (e.g., when a door opens), master image comparison, and trigger signal (whether from a sensor, PLC, or another external source).

Also, the Factory Drive Recorder is designed to work seamlessly with Omron industrial cameras. More importantly, it has a significantly lower cost compared with traditional event capture software systems. In particular, it is compatible with the M Series GigE Vision and the M Series USB3 Vision. These cameras feature resolutions from 0.4 to 20MP and frame rates as high as 527FPS, including a multitude of high-end Sony Pregius sensors with Global Shutter.