As a consultant in the field of machine vision for over 24 years, I would like to suggest there are differences between the role of a consultant and the role of a merchant system integrator (see Vision Systems Design, April 2008, p. 68). When a system integrator is drawn on to provide the initial consulting, more often than not he has a vested interest through his experience in only a few machine vision products. Hence, he will generally try to develop an equipment spec rather than a functional specification. The net result is that he will be held accountable to very little in the way of performance.
An independent consultant can provide a feasibility evaluation and, where feasibility is perceived, a truly functional specification based on a site visit and review of the application, as well as a list of the system integrators with the relevant experience. Use of a consultant can take a lot of risk out of a project that involves any pioneering, so to speak. A consultant can also provide an independent evaluation of proposals and proposer resources.
Granted, today many of the applications no longer involve “pioneering” and for these an equipment specification may be adequate and use of a system integrator becomes a low risk proposition. As a consultant I find myself providing pro bono counseling over the phone on many of these applications and suggest where a company should go within the machine vision industry to get his solution.
Nello Zuech
Vision Systems International
[email protected]
