With IP Surveillance cameras being used for other applications outside of typical security in industries such as retail already, it’s time that manufacturing industries also explored this opportunity.

Network cameras can be easily integrated into industrial manufacturing environments such as production lines to automatically perform visual inspections, to monitor production line efficiency and to enable remote assistance for maintenance. Video surveillance also ensures safety rules are being followed, tools and equipment are handled properly and that production personnel comply with defined processes at all times.

In order to integrate with the other systems used in an industrial manufacturing environment, video surveillance equipment needs to support open standards. Network cameras can be integrated with devices and software from other manufacturers to form one management system for all areas of the industrial manufacturing environment.

Industrial control systems such as SCADA can use network video data to provide information on temperature, pressure and speed meters. Live images of sensors can provide visual confirmation and not just data if, for example, a pumping station is monitored from a remote control room. Network cameras with two-way audio support enable the control room staff to listen and speak to local personnel in the pumping station.

Network cameras are based on standard IP infrastructure that is already in place in industrial manufacturing environments. This makes network video installations easy to implement. Open standards mean interoperability with network cameras and network video management software from other manufacturers as well as with other types of devices and software used in industrial manufacturing environments.

IP-based video surveillance allows for the most advanced solutions and can provide data to multiple remote users such as the company headquarters, the production manager’s office and the security manager’s smartphone. This allows overseeing personnel to be present virtually everywhere.

When using network cameras to perform visual inspections of a specific step in a production line, they can deliver alerts about missing labels, caps not positioned correctly or missing solder. Network cameras can deliver high resolution images at high frames allowing for precise analysis of quickly passing objects on a sliding band in an industrial production line. They support intelligent video processing and video analytics at the edge (within the camera). This allows for example for virtual fences and gates as well as for object counting and sound detection.

IP-based video surveillance is easily scalable as it uses existing infrastructure and it provides a future-proof solution with open standards.

When looking at the example of an automated electrical safety testing station in a production line, typically light curtains will be used to ensure that no personnel is present within a specified danger zone in order to prevent injuries. Light curtains however cover only one dimension, vertical or horizontal. This means two or more light curtains are needed to not only ensure no personnel is entering the specified danger zone but also that no personnel is already present within that zone (e.g. at the startup of the production line).

A network video camera with intelligent video processing and video analytics capabilities can alert to personnel already present in the danger zone as well as entering it. In a typical setup, one camera can therefore replace two or more light curtains while also providing a live video feed to the control room for additional security.

Looking at another example: Often multiple parties, such as the production manager, the quality manager and floor staff, need to be involved when an issue arises with an industrial production line. Such issues need to be resolved very quickly to ensure the production line can be started up again as quickly as possible. A network video system providing two-way audio and video communications allows for real-time collaboration between the different parties enabling them to look at specific production steps remotely.

Here the saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” truly is a reality and reduces time to detect, verify, diagnose and solve an issue. It also means that supervisors and management do not always have to rush to a particular production line to observe, but instead can address a number of problems just as effectively remotely. This means they do not have to stop doing the other activity they may have been working on

Wai King Wong is Country Manager Australia and New Zealand for Axis Communications. Wai King is responsible for the management of all sales and operational activities in ANZ and has held the position since November 2002.

Wai King joined Axis Communications following a three year stint as senior product manager – Networking and Support Services Manager (Malaysia) Technical Consultant (Australia) at Ingram Micro.

Wai King has extensive knowledge and experience in the networking and software deployment and support arenas and holds a bachelor of Business in Business Information Systems from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and a Master in Business and Technology, UNSW.

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