The most underestimated problem in machine vision is production variation. Most systems fail because reality changes - not because the software is wrong.
Sources of variation
- Material changes
- Tool wear
- Operator differences
- Supplier changes
- Environmental changes (temperature, humidity, ambient light)
My rule
Never ask "Does it work?"
Ask "When will it stop working?"
Framing it this way forces you to find the edges of the operating window before production finds them for you.