Feasibility Studies for Machine Vision Applications

Internal Evaluation

Before we quote any project, we evaluate the application ourselves. This is part of how we work — we don't commit to an outcome we're not confident we can deliver.

Where samples are available, we bring them into our lab and work through the imaging challenge using our own cameras, optics, lighting and staging equipment. The goal is to satisfy ourselves that the approach is sound before we put a price against it.

The output of this evaluation informs our quotation — it tells us what hardware is required and how long the application development will take. We often share representative images with the client alongside the quote, which gives them something tangible to assess alongside the numbers.

This stage is carried out at our cost as part of the quoting process.

Feasibility Study

For more complex or uncertain applications — where the right approach isn't clear, or where we can't confidently commit to an outcome without investigation — we recommend a formal feasibility study before any project is commissioned.

A feasibility study is a paid engagement. Depending on complexity it can range from a focused half-day investigation to a week of detailed evaluation. The scope is agreed in advance.

What it involves:

The client supplies samples and a clear description of what the vision system needs to achieve. We work through the application systematically — evaluating imaging strategies, lighting approaches, processing techniques — and establish whether a reliable, cost-effective solution exists and what it would involve to deliver.

What it delivers:

A clear conclusion on viability, a recommended approach, and the information needed to scope and price the full project with confidence.

What it costs:

The cost of the feasibility study is deducted from the project cost if the project proceeds. If the investigation concludes that the application isn't viable or the cost of delivery isn't justified, both parties have avoided a significantly larger and more painful commitment further down the line. In our experience, finding that out early is always worth the investment.

When do we recommend a feasibility study?

The trigger is uncertainty — applications where the imaging conditions are unknown, where the product is highly variable, where the tolerance requirements are at the edge of what vision can reliably achieve, or where previous attempts by others have failed. If we can't look at the requirement and immediately know how we'd approach it, a feasibility study is the right next step.