Automatix

Automatix Inc. was an American industrial-automation company established in January 1980 and associated with the early commercial development of vision-guided robotics. Its central proposition was to combine robotic mechanisms with cameras, image-processing hardware, and software so that machines could inspect parts, guide assembly, and control welding operations with less dependence on fixed mechanical tooling. The company is notable for being among the first businesses to market industrial robots with built-in machine vision. The company was founded by a group drawn from several important technology communities. Victor Scheinman, inventor of the Stanford arm, contributed robotics expertise, while Phillippe Villers, Michael Cronin, and Arnold Reinhold came from Computervision. Jake Dias and Dan Nigro were associated with Data General, Gordon VanderBrug with the National Bureau of Standards, Donald L. Pieper with General Electric, and Norman Wittels with Clark University. This combination gave Automatix access to experience in robotics, industrial computing, machine vision, and applied engineering. Automatix's initial offerings included Autovision, a machine-vision system; Robovision, a welding robot; and Cybervision, an electronic parts-assembly system. The company was an early adopter of Motorola 68000 processors. Because suitable software for that processor was scarce in 1980, Automatix developed its own operating system and a robotics programming language called RAIL. Its earliest vision technology incorporated hardware and software licensed from the Stanford Research Institute. The company's machine-vision portfolio developed through several generations. Autovision I appeared in 1981 and used early 68000 computing hardware, a Stanford-derived vision module, a Unibus frame grabber, and a solid-state camera. Autovision II followed in 1982 with a custom Versabus 68000 processor and an industrially packaged frame-grabber system. Later Autovision IV and AV 5 products refined the electronics and storage systems. In 1987, Automatix introduced the AI 90, which adapted the Apple Macintosh II into an industrial rack-mounted vision computer and ported RAIL to the Mac operating system as MacRAIL. Later products included the Autovision 90, based on an Apple Quadra 950, the Image Analyst software package, and the AI-32 robot controller. Automatix also developed robotic products and applications. It initially used robot mechanisms imported from Hitachi and later from Yaskawa and KUKA. The company designed and manufactured the AID-600 Cartesian robot for precision assembly. The AID-600 was also adapted for welding, especially tungsten inert gas welding, where positional accuracy and resistance to electromagnetic interference are important. Automatix marketed Seamtracker, described as the first vision-guided welding robot, using structured laser illumination and monochromatic filtering to obtain usable images despite the welding arc. Victor Scheinman also developed RobotWorld, a coordinated system of small robot modules suspended from a two-dimensional linear motor; the product line was subsequently sold to Yaskawa. Automatix raised substantial venture capital and became a public company in 1983, although it did not become profitable until the early 1990s. In 1994 it merged with Itran Corp. to create Acuity Imaging, Inc. Acuity was acquired by Robotics Vision Systems Inc. in September 1995. The Automatix technology lineage continued through later machine-vision products, including PowerVision. Subsequent corporate transactions moved related products through Siemens Energy and Automation, Microscan Systems, and ultimately Omron. By the 2010s, products descended from the Automatix technology were still available through successor companies and distributors, although Automatix itself no longer operated as an independent company.

Automatix Inc. was founded in January 1980 as an industrial-automation venture centered on the emerging combination of robotics and machine vision. Its founding group included Victor Scheinman, known for the Stanford arm, together with engineers and managers connected to Computervision, Data General, the National Bureau of Standards, General Electric, and Clark University. The company's technical ambition was to make robots capable of responding to visual information rather than merely repeating preprogrammed motions. Its first product family included Autovision machine-vision systems, Robovision welding robots, and Cybervision equipment for electronic parts assembly. Automatix became an early user of the Motorola 68000 processor. Since commercial software support for that processor was limited in 1980, the company created its own operating system and RAIL robotics programming language. The first vision products also used technology licensed from Stanford Research Institute. The Autovision line progressed through multiple hardware generations. Autovision I, introduced in 1981, combined an early Motorola 68000 prototype board with an SRI-derived vision module, a Unibus frame-grabber board, and an early solid-state camera. Autovision II, introduced in 1982, used a custom Versabus 68000 processor and an industrially hardened enclosure. Autovision IV added a patented dual-68000 frame grabber, while the AV 5 placed similar electronics in a rack-mounted form. In the late 1980s, the company moved away from its proprietary 68000 computer architecture in some vision products and adopted industrially packaged Apple Macintosh systems. The AI 90, announced at the 1987 MacWorld Expo in Boston, ran RAIL after its conversion to MacRAIL for the Macintosh operating system. Later products included the Autovision 90, based on an Apple Quadra 950, and Image Analyst software for Macintosh computers. Automatix's controllers were designed to integrate robot motion with visual processing. The AI-32 controller shared the processor, bus, and RAIL language used by several Autovision generations and could accept machine-vision boards. This architecture reflected the company's effort to provide a unified platform for sensing, programming, and robot control. In robotics, Automatix initially relied on mechanisms imported from Hitachi and later used equipment from Yaskawa and KUKA. It also developed the AID-600 Cartesian robot for precision assembly. Because the machine offered accurate positioning and could be adapted to tolerate the demanding electromagnetic environment of tungsten inert gas welding, it was also used in welding applications. Automatix marketed Seamtracker as a vision-guided welding robot. Its sensing system used structured laser light and monochromatic filters to preserve useful visual information in the presence of a welding arc. Another concept associated with Victor Scheinman was RobotWorld, in which cooperating small modules were suspended from a two-dimensional linear motor. The RobotWorld line was later sold to Yaskawa. The company attracted significant venture investment and went public in 1983. Despite its technological position, it did not become profitable until the early 1990s. In 1994, Automatix merged with Itran Corp. to form Acuity Imaging, Inc. Acuity later acquired rights from International Data Matrix and developed the Data Matrix two-dimensional barcode. In September 1995, Robotics Vision Systems Inc. acquired Acuity Imaging. The corporate succession continued after the disappearance of Automatix as an independent company. In 2005, Siemens Energy and Automation acquired RVSI. Siemens marketed RVSI's Visionscape and Hawkeye products alongside its SIMATIC offerings, with some products also associated with DVT and Cognex smart-camera branding. In 2008, Microscan Systems acquired Siemens' machine-vision business, including Visionscape and Hawkeye. The PowerVision system descended from Automatix development remained available through RPC Machine Vision Systems, a Microscan value-added reseller, as late as 2016. Omron purchased Microscan in December 2017, after which related products were distributed through Omron's network. Automatix is therefore best understood as a defunct pioneer whose technologies and product concepts continued through several successor businesses.

• 2017

  Omron purchases Microscan

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Omron acquires Microscan and adds related machine-vision products to its distribution network.

• 2008

  Microscan acquires Siemens machine vision

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Microscan Systems purchases Siemens' machine-vision business, including Visionscape and Hawkeye.

• 2005

  RVSI acquired by Siemens

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Siemens Energy and Automation acquires Robotics Vision Systems Inc.

• 1995

  Acuity Imaging acquired by RVSI

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Robotics Vision Systems Inc. acquires Acuity Imaging in September.

• 1994

  Merger creates Acuity Imaging

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Automatix merges with Itran Corp. to form Acuity Imaging, Inc.

• 1987

  AI 90 announced

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Automatix announces the AI 90, an industrial rack-mounted Apple Macintosh II system running the RAIL language ported to Mac OS as MacRAIL.

• 1983

  Automatix goes public

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  The company becomes publicly traded after raising substantial venture capital.

• 1982

  Autovision II introduced

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Autovision II adopts a custom Versabus 68000 processor, an eight-channel frame grabber, and industrial packaging.

• 1981

  Autovision I introduced

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  The first Autovision system uses early Motorola 68000 computing, an SRI-derived vision module, a Unibus frame grabber, and a solid-state camera.

• 1980

  Automatix is founded

  [1]Automatixen.wikipedia.org

  Automatix Inc. is established in January to develop and commercialize industrial robots integrated with machine vision.

A pioneering industrial-automation company focused on integrating machine vision, robot control, and industrial robotics for inspection, assembly, and welding.

• Machine-vision system · 1981

  Autovision

  Autovision was Automatix's principal machine-vision product family. Generations I, II, IV, and AV 5 used progressively refined Motorola 68000-based computing, frame-grabber, storage, and industrial-enclosure designs. Later systems moved toward industrially packaged Apple Macintosh hardware, including the AI 90 and Autovision 90. The systems supported visual inspection and robot guidance through the company's RAIL programming environment.

• Vision-guided welding robot

  Robovision

  Robovision was an early Automatix robotic-welding offering designed to combine robot motion with visual sensing. It represented the company's broader strategy of using cameras and image processing to improve industrial welding and reduce reliance on fixed tooling.

• Electronic parts assembly system

  Cybervision

  Cybervision was an early Automatix system for electronic parts assembly. It formed part of the company's original product portfolio alongside Autovision and Robovision and applied computer vision to manufacturing tasks requiring component recognition, positioning, or inspection.

• Cartesian industrial robot

  AID-600

  The AID-600 was a Cartesian robot designed by Automatix for precision assembly. Its accurate positioning also allowed adaptation to welding, particularly tungsten inert gas welding, where both precision and resistance to electromagnetic interference are important.

• Vision-guided welding system

  Seamtracker

  Seamtracker was marketed as a vision-guided welding robot. It used structured laser illumination and monochromatic optical filtering to obtain a usable image despite the intense light and electromagnetic conditions produced by a welding arc, enabling more accurate tracking of a weld seam.

• Cooperating modular robot system

  RobotWorld

  RobotWorld was a modular robotic concept associated with Victor Scheinman. It used cooperating small modules suspended from a two-dimensional linear motor. The product line was later sold to Yaskawa.

• Robotics programming language · 1980

  RAIL

  RAIL was Automatix's robotics scripting language and operating environment. It was created because suitable software for the company's early Motorola 68000 systems was unavailable. A Macintosh-compatible version, MacRAIL, was later used in the AI 90 and related vision products.

• Machine-vision software and system

  PowerVision

  PowerVision was the later name used for an evolved machine-vision package originating with Automatix. RVSI supported the system, and it remained commercially available through successor organizations and a Microscan value-added reseller into the 2010s.

• 1994

  Merge with Itran Corp.M&A

  Background

  Automatix and Itran Corp. were both active in machine vision and related industrial-automation technologies.

  Action taken

  The companies merged to form Acuity Imaging, Inc.

  Aftermath

  Automatix ceased to operate as an independent company; Acuity was later acquired by Robotics Vision Systems Inc.

  Source

• 1987

  Adopt industrially packaged Macintosh hardwareStrategy

  Background

  Automatix sought to update its vision-computing platform after several generations based on proprietary Motorola 68000 systems.

  Action taken

  The company introduced the AI 90, an industrial rack-mounted Apple Macintosh II, and ported RAIL to Mac OS as MacRAIL.

  Aftermath

  Later vision products included the Autovision 90, based on an Apple Quadra 950, and Image Analyst software for Macintosh computers.

  Source

• 1980

  Develop a proprietary robotics software environmentStrategy

  Background

  Automatix adopted Motorola 68000 processors at an early stage, but commercial software support for the platform was limited.

  Action taken

  The company created its own operating system and RAIL robotics programming language to control its vision and robotic systems.

  Aftermath

  The shared processor, bus, and RAIL architecture became a common foundation across several Autovision systems and the AI-32 robot controller.

  Source

1. 1Automatixen.wikipedia.org