COGNEX INTRODUCES NEW LOW COST, PC PLUG-IN VERSION OF ITS CHECKPOINT
MACHINE VISION SYSTEM

SEMICON SINGAPORE, Singapore, and Natick, Ma, USA, April 24, 1996 -- Cognex
Corporation (NASDAQ - CGNX) today introduced a new PC plug-in version of
its Checkpoint machine vision system at the Semicon Singapore tradeshow. 

The new Checkpoint 600/PC is designed for manufacturing engineers and
system integrators seeking to tightly integrate a flexible machine vision
system into a standard PC. And, like earlier generations of Checkpoint,
the new Model 600/PC combines Cognex's proven machine vision software with
a Microsoft Windows-based development interface, enabling engineers with
little programming or machine vision experience to perform complex
automated inspection, assembly verification, and dimensional measurement
tasks. 

"Since its introduction in 1994, Checkpoint has been embraced by
manufacturing engineers and system integrators all over the world because
of its accurate, reliable performance," said Justin Testa, Vice President
of Marketing at Cognex. "In fact, Cognex has shipped nearly 1,000
Checkpoint systems for applications in many industries including
pharmaceutical, medical device, electronics, packaging, and automotive
parts. With the new PC plug-in form factor, users can gain the
field-proven benefits of Checkpoint technology and all of the packaging,
integration, and cost benefits of the PC environment." 

The Checkpoint 600/PC is a complete vision engine with its own frame
grabber, on-board CPU, custom vision ASICs, and local memory. This
combination enables all vision processing to occur independently on the
Cognex machine vision system, in parallel with other tasks running on the
PC. Unlike other systems which burden the PC's CPU with vision processing,
the Checkpoint 600/PC frees the PC to perform the tasks for which it is
best suited, such as report generation, motion control, process
monitoring, communication, and data management.

Checkpoint 600/PC comes with a comprehensive suite of gray-scale vision
tools that provide robust, reliable performance even with variable
lighting and part inconsistencies. As a result, the system can handle
approximately 600 parts per minute on complex inspections and up to 14,000
parts per minute on simpler inspections. 

Like all Checkpoint systems, the new Model 600/PC Features a Microsoft
Windows "point and click" development interface that combines ease-of-use
with the power and flexibility of a programming language. Users have the
ability to create customized operator interfaces using the Checkpoint
development environment or, if they prefer, using Microsoft Visual Basic.


To provide real time image display and a simple, ergonomic operator
interface on a single VGA monitor, the Checkpoint 600/PC also includes the
Checkpoint Video Mixer-a companion board for the single-slot vision
engine. 

The Checkpoint 600/PC system is available immediately in two
configurations: as a factory floor deployment system consisting of a
single-slot vision processor, single-slot video mixer/display controller,
and all software; and as a development-level configuration with all
hardware and software fully installed on a complete PC. Deployment system
prices range between $10,000 and $15,000 depending on order quantity and
system configuration. 

Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets machine
vision systems, or computers that can "see," which are used to automate a
wide range of manufacturing processes where vision is required. Cognex is
the world's leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped more
than 40,000 machine vision systems to date. In addition to its
headquarters in Natick Massachusetts, the company has remote offices
located throughout the United States, Japan, Europe, and S.E. Asia. In
addition, Cognex has two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Acumen, based in
Portland, OR, which specializes in machine vision systems for automated
product identification, and Isys Controls, based in Alameda, CA, which
specializes in automated, high-speed surface inspection. 

Cognex Corp
One Vision Drive
Natick, MA 01760-2059
508-650-3000,  fax 508-650-3333
 
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