Dynamic information

Developing machine-vision and image-processing systems requires expert knowledge of disciplines such as physics, optics, computer science, and mechanical engineering. In many companies, this expert knowledge is shared by the team tasked with developing the machine-vision system. To build such systems, these engineers must keep abreast of the latest technologies, standards, and products available from hundreds of companies located worldwide.

Even with numerous trade shows and conferences now dedicated to machine vision and image processing, coordinating this information is not an easy task. That's why the staff of Vision Systems Design magazine is proud to bring you our annual Buyer's Guide issue. The result of many months of effort by our Buyer's Guide department, this issue contains the most up-to-date information on more than 700 global suppliers of machine-vision and image-processing equipment.

Companies are listed in more than 50 product categories, including solid-state cameras, optics, lighting, add-in boards, automation equipment, and software. Readers who prefer to search online can find the complete Buyer's Guide at http://buyersguide.vision-systems.com/search/index.html, where you can search by category, company, or keyword. You will find all the data published in our print version as well as additional information about vendors, distributors, and system integrators.

The printed Buyer's Guide contains four sections: a Product Guide, a System Integrators listing, a Manufacturer's Reps listing, and a Company Directory. The table of contents provides an overview of these sections; the Product Index contains a detailed list of product categories.

While the print issue of our Buyer's Guide provides a snapshot of the machine-vision and image-processing industry, our online Guide is dynamic, allowing manufacturers to manage their information in real time. This provides you, our readers, with a continuously updated reference to the numerous companies involved in machine vision and image processing.

On our web site, you will find additional resources to help you in the task of choosing the technologies, products, and manufacturers for your next project. Our online Industrial Camera Directory, for example, lists more than 200 camera vendors, their products, and key camera specifications. Our updated Machine Vision News & Technology and New Machine Vision Products, tutorial-based webcasts, white papers, and editorial digests provide an unmatched knowledge base for both experienced system developers and newcomers to the field.

Developing machine-vision and image-processing systems requires an interdisciplinary engineering approach; we hope that the resources you will find in this Buyer's Guide and on our web site will help in bridging these disciplines. Should you have any suggestions of how we may continue to improve our magazine, web site, and newsletters, we would like to hear from you. I hope you find this issue useful and look forward to your continued loyalty as a reader of Vision Systems Design.