Cognex Insight Explorer Software/Firmware

[kckku]

Once in a while I am asked to look at some Cognex vision programming/cameras in our plant from 5 - 10 years ago. It seems every time I open up a program from a long time ago using later Insight Explorer software, I get a bunch of errors (unlicensed tools, etc.).

Another time I made some modifications using a later software version and I guess newer tools. I went to download the updated program to the camera in the plant and it wasn't able to. Something about incompatible firmware or something like this. It was very frustrating because I spent a long time making the new program offline and it wouldn't work.

What's the best way to keep everything sync'd up so I don't have these problems? I work on stuff like this once a year on average and we have cameras with various firmware versions.

 

[baref00t25]

Unfortunately there isn't any good way that we have found to keep Cognex cameras updated. I keep several versions of Insight Explorer installed on my laptop. Even though Cognex allows you to connect to older cameras with the latest software, we've run into issues at times.

 

[KingBennon]

What cameras are you using?

Normally I only get be that if I load a program from a camera to an emulator.
Insight programs you need to see what tools are offered for that camera first.

For instance emulator with show patmax redline. But your camera will not allow you to use that, it might just have patmax.

I've forgotten this when creating programs for older cameras.
Emulator has patmax, and camera is a 5100 that only has pattern. Then I have to start over again.

 

[skywalker309]

I would say, make sure you're using the correct sensor type while using the emulator. If you have the emulator with one sensor type and then try to download to a different camera, it would not work. You can check what you're emulating in System/Options/Emulation.

 

[KingBennon]

Unfortunately, cognex doesn't work like that with older sensors.
The newer don't have revision numbers beside the model number.
So most of the time the new ones will work, the old ones not so much.
For example, the 5100 only has the 5100 in the sensor menu.
But there is 5100-00 and 5100-01
One of them has pattern and the other one is basically I used it for 2D matrix check.

 

[kckku]

What cameras are you using?

Normally I only get be that if I load a program from a camera to an emulator.
Insight programs you need to see what tools are offered for that camera first.

For instance emulator with show patmax redline. But your camera will not allow you to use that, it might just have patmax.

I've forgotten this when creating programs for older cameras.
Emulator has patmax, and camera is a 5100 that only has pattern. Then I have to start over again.

It's a Cognex 5705C camera.