Three months ago, Yole Développement released the “Machine Vision for Industry and Automation 2021” report. In it, we stated that in 2020 the machine vision camera market reached a total value of $2.3B. We analyzed the complete ecosystem, knowing that these industrial cameras come not only from established brands, but also from new entrants with experience in other camera fields. One of these is Chinese supplier, Hikrobot, now a leading provider of machine vision systems. It has an impressive track record of business growth and product innovation.
In this context, Richard Liu, Technology & Market Analyst in the imaging team within the Photonic and Sensing Division at Yole Développement, had the opportunity to connect with Shawn Huo, General Manager of Marketing at Hikrobot. He told us about the company’s products, strategy, and the prospects for industrial cameras. Read their discussion below.
Richard Liu (RL): Can you please introduce yourself and Hikrobot?
Shawn Huo (SH): Hi, I’m Shawn Huo, Marketing GM of Hikrobot. Hikrobot is a global manufacturer and supplier of machine vision products and mobile robots. It is committed to continuously promoting intelligentization and leading the intelligent manufacturing process.
Recently, we’ve finished the Vision for Imagination | 2021 Hikrobot Machine Vision New Product Release Event. This event aimed to let the audience meet our latest machine vision innovations. At the event, we launched multiple new products covering industrial cameras, smart code readers, smart cameras and open platforms.
RL: Could you tell us more about the products released, their advantages and applications?
SH: To deal with increased application demand, we keep upgrading and optimizing our products. In this event, we launched a bunch of star products, including the 151MP GigE camera, ID 2000 industrial smart code reader, and VM 4.0 open platform.
Taking 151MP GigE as an example, the camera adopts SFP + 10GigE interface, with a maximum output frame rate of 6.2 frames per second (fps). The Image Signal Processor (ISP) algorithm delivers better color changes and details of the image. With a minimum power consumption of 13W, it can be a perfect choice for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or display inspection.
The ID2000 series ultra-compact smart code reader is also a blast. With a small size of 46mm×25mm×38mm, we also guarantee high-quality images and high-efficiency recognition performance. It can be perfectly embedded in automatic machine equipment, and other automatic assembly line short-distance code reading applications.
For more detailed info, visit our website: https://en.hikrobotics.com/machinevision
RL: The MV-CH1510 series of products has a resolution of 151MP and uses coaxial compression interface to transmit data. This is a definite star product among these cameras. Does this represent the highest performance technology that Hikrobot has achieved in machine vision?
SH: The MV-CH1510 series is definitely a very important and representative product, but it’s not quite right to describe it as the highest technology achievement for Hikrobot. Our machine vision products span industrial cameras, smart code readers, smart cameras and open platforms. Each product line has its own core advantage and targeted application scenario. Hikrobot will continue technology innovation in image processing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, 3D and transport protocols, to provide global customers with advanced machine vision products and platforms.
RL: As you already know, there are many types of industrial cameras and a wide range of applications. How do you get close to the market and understand customer needs, and then make your product development strategies in area scan cameras, line scan cameras, smart cameras and 3D cameras?
SH: Hikrobot was born from a very mature imaging product manufacturer, with technology accumulation including image processing and identification, artificial intelligence and cloud computing engraved in its genes.
We hope to promote the industrial production automation of different industries. Analyzing different application scenarios and production process, we develop and complete our product lines accordingly. The customer needs and product R&D push each other forward. Step by step, we form our product offering. Multiple practices and cases back us up for more innovation exploration.
RL: At present, the price of industrial cameras in the market is falling fast. What do you think of this phenomenon?
SH: Yes, we noticed this phenomenon. The product price falls with the improvement of the technology. It’s a natural commercial tendency. It lowers the threshold for the traditional industries to introduce machine vision solutions. Customers will have more choices, and drive developers and suppliers to upgrade and design more advanced products. It’s a force for a more stable and mature market.
RL: Hikrobot was founded in 2014. It is only seven years ago now, but you have made big achievements. Now you are the top player in China, and can compete with some very established European and American companies. Can please tell us about your achievements and story?
SH: Although we are only seven years in the machine vision business, our group company has around 20 years’ experience in camera and vision technology development. Hikrobot inherited the related technology and it made us able to start at a relatively high level in 2014. Also, we are getting very good support from many premium sensor suppliers, since they have been strategic partners with our group company for a very long time already.
With this technology accumulation, customers trust us with their application needs. Hikrobot is driven by practical needs, and develops our products accordingly. With a far-seeing strategy, we paid attention to product quality control, global certification and standardization at the very beginning of our business. We built a level-100 purification room, introduced automatic assembly and inspection equipment, and joined a bunch of industrial associations. All this work laid solid foundations for further development at home and overseas.
Our history may not be very long, but the path we came through is customer-oriented and well-planned. We believe we’ll provide the customer and industry with more and more in the sustained, rapid growing, future.
RL: Hikrobot not only serves China, but also has carried on business on Europe. But compared to China, these European countries have a relatively high degree of industrial automation. Could you please tell us about the advantages of your product? What are the benefits you would offer for customers in Europe?
SH: As we mentioned in the former questions, Hikrobot has a wide range of products covering industrial cameras, smart code readers, smart cameras and self-developed software platforms. We can provide customers with integrated solutions of mixed series of products.
Relying on over 1000 R&D staff, we’re able to upgrade and renew our products in a short R&D period, and also provide a customized development service. What’s more, our products are a relatively cost-effective choice compared to other suppliers.
RL: Would you like to add some final words for our readers?
SH: With efforts in industrial vision sensing and hardware technology, Hikrobot provides
customers with leading machine vision products. The products cover industrial cameras, 3D cameras, lenses, vision boxes, vision controllers, industrial smart cameras, software platforms and related accessories.
Our products are widely used in industrial automation sectors such as consumer electronics, semiconductors and logistics, as a part of the vision applications like positioning guidance, measurement, quality inspection, code reading and Optical Character Recognition. They help users to greatly improve productivity, accuracy and stability.
To know more about Hikrobot, visit our website, https://en.hikrobotics.com/, or e-mail us at hikrobot@hikrobotics.com.
Interviewee
Shawn Huo is the Marketing GM of Hikrobot.
He holds a Master’s degree in Marketing. Most of his professional career has been spent as global sales and marketing manager of imaging technology-related products, such as video surveillance cameras and machine vision cameras.
In 2017, he started working as GM of Marketing at Hikrobot, as the head of global marketing department. He has a deep understanding of the technology and market status, and leads the Hikrobot’s overseas market construction. At present, Hikrobot’s machine vision cameras are welcomed by customers from over 30 countries and regions worldwide.
Interviewer
Richard Liu is a Technology and Market Analyst in the Photonics, Sensing & Display division at Yole Développement, part of Yole Group of Companies. Based in Shenzhen (China), Richard is dedicated on imaging activity (Monitors) as well as the development of technology & market reports
Prior to Yole, Richard was engaged in camera module design on image sensor, AF/OIS at Onsemi, before this, he worked as a customer-application-technologist in Micron/Aptina Imaging. Richard has over 12 years post graduate experience in both of imaging semiconductor and camera module industry, he has the successful track record in developing projects for the tier one smart phone and module makers, which brought him wide industry connection in the CMOS image sensor supply chain and ecosystem
Richard graduated from Wuhan University (China) and holds an Electronics Engineering Degree.
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