Machine Vision And Inspection

Automated Visual Inspection For Regulated Manufacturing

Automated inspection systems for regulated manufacturing where conventional machine vision falls short. Selected examples from our delivered work:

Global contact lens manufacturer

Multi-year optical inspection program for transparent contact lens molds: angle-of-attack illumination, refraction, and light scatter for translucent defect detection, plus second-generation system, architecture redesign, automated cosmetic inspection upgrade, enclosure design, emissions compliance, and operator training.

Class II orthopedic implant manufacturer

CAPA-driven automated inspection for shoulder, knee, and hip implants with uncertainty analysis, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), and an in-situ process gauge, with test method V&V per 21 CFR 820.70(i).

Automotive ignition interlock manufacturer

Camera-based test system, LabVIEW test software, and a hardware abstraction layer validating breath alcohol detection, vehicle interface communication, and tamper detection on court-ordered breathalyzer devices.

Class II medical device, latent failure

Designed a new test set that uncovered latent false positives on a device that had been passing manufacturing tests for years, redirecting engineering from test redesign to product failure analysis. Test method V&V per 21 CFR 820.72(a).

Inspection & Compliance

Novel Optical Inspection

Contact lens mold inspection system using angle-of-attack illumination, refraction analysis, and light scatter for translucent defect detection. Multi-year engagement from R&D through production deployment with enclosure design, emissions compliance, and operator training.

Regulated Manufacturing Inspection

CAPA-driven automated inspection for a Class II orthopedic implant manufacturer producing shoulder, knee, and hip implants, with uncertainty analysis, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), and in-situ process gauge design. Plus a camera-based test system for an automotive ignition interlock device manufacturer.

V&V For Inspection Systems

Production-grade inspection systems with full V&V documentation, MSA studies, uncertainty budgets, and integration with quality management systems for 21 CFR 820.70(i) compliance.

Optics & Measurement

Optical System Design

Custom illumination design including angle-of-attack lighting, refraction analysis, and light scatter for transparent and translucent materials. Used on the contact lens mold inspection system to detect surface defects and occlusions in transparent contact lens molds.

Process Gauge And Fixture Design

In-situ process gauge design for production inspection, plus mechanical enclosure design and operator training. Emissions compliance engineering support delivered alongside the contact lens mold inspection system equipment.

Defect Detection Analytics

Image-based defect detection on materials that defeat conventional machine vision, plus the kind of measurement uncertainty work needed to redirect engineering when test systems mask real product failures. Demonstrated in a Class II medical device engagement that uncovered latent false positives passing manufacturing tests for years.

What We Build In Machine Vision And Inspection

Automated inspection systems, optical measurement platforms, and V&V documentation for regulated manufacturing environments.

Machine Vision System Design

  • Inspection system architecture design incorporating lessons learned from previous generations of translucent mold inspection
  • Automated cosmetic inspection for surface defects and occlusions in transparent contact lens molds
  • Camera-based test systems integrated with LabVIEW and a hardware abstraction layer (delivered to an automotive ignition interlock manufacturer)

Optical Inspection For Transparent & Translucent Materials

  • Angle-of-attack illumination, refraction analysis, and light scatter for translucent contact lens mold defect detection
  • Second-generation contact lens mold optical inspection system, then upgraded automated visual inspection with improved defect detection accuracy and production throughput
  • Novel optical techniques for materials that defeat conventional machine vision

MSA And Uncertainty Analysis

  • Measurement System Analysis (MSA), uncertainty analysis, and in-situ process gauge design on a CAPA-driven orthopedic implant inspection engagement
  • Test method verification and validation per 21 CFR 820.70(i) on FDA-regulated inspection deployments
  • False positive analysis on a Class II medical device test set that exposed a product non-conformance hiding behind passing manufacturing tests

Production Enclosure And Emissions Compliance

  • Physical enclosure and housing design for the contact lens mold inspection system
  • Emissions compliance engineering support for inspection system equipment
  • Operator training delivery for the automated wafer/mold inspection system

Why Machine Vision In Regulated Manufacturing Is Different

Beyond Generic Machine Vision

Inspection in regulated manufacturing is not generic machine vision. It requires MSA, uncertainty budgets, V&V, and integration with quality systems. Good Automation brings both the vision engineering and the regulatory discipline.

Quality System Integration

Our inspection systems integrate with your quality management system from day one. CAPA-driven development, 21 CFR 820.70(i) compliance documentation, and measurement traceability are built into the engineering process, not added after the fact.

Uncovering Hidden Failures

We uncovered latent false positives in a Class II device that had been passing manufacturing tests for years — redirecting engineering from test redesign to product failure analysis. That is the difference between generic machine vision and inspection engineering with regulatory discipline.

Representative Machine Vision And Inspection Work

We build production-grade inspection systems with the optical engineering, measurement science, and regulatory documentation your quality system requires.

Contact Lens Mold Inspection

Multi-year contact lens mold inspection system using novel angle-of-attack illumination and refraction analysis for translucent defect detection. From R&D through production deployment with enclosure design and emissions compliance.

Orthopedic Implant Inspection

CAPA-driven orthopedic implant inspection for shoulder, knee, and hip components with uncertainty analysis, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), and in-situ process gauge design for production environments.

Camera-Based Automotive Test System

Camera-based test system, LabVIEW test software, and hardware abstraction layer for an automotive ignition interlock device manufacturer (court-ordered breathalyzer systems for DUI offenders), validating breath alcohol detection, vehicle interface communication, and tamper detection.

False Positive Discovery

Uncovered latent false positives in a Class II medical device that had been passing manufacturing tests for years, redirecting engineering effort from test redesign to product failure analysis and corrective action.

Production Deployment And Training

Complete production deployment including enclosure design, emissions compliance certification, operator training programs, and sustained engineering support through manufacturing ramp-up and process validation.

How We Work With Machine Vision And Inspection Teams

R&D Through Production

We engage from feasibility studies and optical concept development through production deployment, operator training, and sustained support.

Quality System Integration

We work within your quality management system from day one, delivering MSA studies, uncertainty documentation, and V&V packages alongside the inspection hardware.

CAPA-Driven Development

When inspection systems are driven by corrective actions, we structure the engineering to satisfy both the technical requirements and the regulatory documentation trail.

Standards And Quality Frameworks

We build to the quality and regulatory standards your manufacturing environment requires. Touchpoints from our delivered work include 21 CFR 820.70(i) non-product software verification and validation, 21 CFR 820.72(a) calibration and Measurement System Analysis, test method verification and validation, and CAPA-driven engineering on FDA-regulated inspection deployments.

Why Us

We build production-grade inspection systems with the optical engineering, measurement science, and regulatory documentation your quality system requires.

21 CFR 820 V&V

Inspection system V&V documentation for 21 CFR 820.70(i) compliance, with MSA studies and uncertainty analysis built into every production deployment.

Novel Optics

Custom optical solutions for materials and defects that defeat conventional machine vision, including translucent materials, surface characterization, and refraction-based analysis.

MSA/GR&R

Measurement System Analysis and Gauge R&R studies that quantify your inspection system performance and satisfy quality audits with statistical rigor.

Production-Grade

Complete production deployment including enclosures, emissions compliance, operator interfaces, and training. Not prototypes — production-grade systems.

CAPA-Driven

When inspection systems originate from corrective actions, we structure the engineering and documentation to close the CAPA with evidence that satisfies regulatory review.

Multi-Year Support

Multi-year engagements from R&D through production, with sustained engineering support through manufacturing ramp-up, process changes, and continuous improvement cycles.

Trusted by

Medtronic GD Energy Products Bell Helicopter Johnson & Johnson GE Healthcare Halliburton Shell Stryker Alcon Abbott Qorvo Qualcomm Keysight Technologies National Instruments MIT Oak Ridge National Lab Ethicon Bridgestone IBM U.S. Department of Energy Georgia Tech Stanford University University of Texas at Austin Verb Surgical Berkeley Lab Pacific Northwest Lab Hewlett Packard Enterprise Gardner Denver Lockheed Martin

Need A Vision System That Holds Up In Production?

Bring us the inspection problem that’s blocking validation. We’ll design the optics, run the MSA and uncertainty work, and deliver a production-grade system with the documentation your quality system needs to trust it, audit it, and keep it running.