Halcon和VisionPro的功能与性能比较

石鑫华视觉

原文出处：http://www.jmakautomation.com/halcon-vs-cognex-visionpro

Executive Summary:概要

MVTec HALCON strengths: A significantly larger and powerful 2D and full scope 3D machine vision library at a significantly lower run time license price. HALCON supports 5 times the number of image acquisition devices, provides higher bit depth image processing, GPU acceleration, support for Windows, MAC OS X, & Linux and several embedded platforms, and ongoing support for COM, .NET, Native C, C#, C++, & Delphi programming.    MVTec's only focus is Machine Vision for PC and embedded vision processing with total hardware independence.  HALCON has very large and distinct advantages in their 3D vision technology and application capabilities over Cognex VisionPro.

MVTec HALCON优势:一个更大更强大的2D和全范围3D机器视觉库，运行时许可价格明显较低。HALCON支持5倍的图像采集设备，提供更高的位深度图像处理、GPU加速、支持Windows、MAC OS X和Linux以及多个嵌入式平台，并持续支持COM、.NET、原生C、c#、c++和Delphi编程。MVTec的唯一目标是PC机视觉和嵌入式视觉处理，完全独立于硬件。HALCON与Cognex VisionPro相比，在3D视觉技术和应用能力方面具有非常大的优势。

MVTec HALCON weaknesses: Small market share in North America, longer learning curve for non-programmers, simpler applications can take longer to deploy, higher cost Software Development Package price than VisionPro, lack of tools for US Postal barcodes.

** New Information - MVTec MERLIC & HALCON - MVTec has announced a new software product called MERLIC that is based upon the HALCON library.  MERLIC adds an extreme ease of use capability for machine vision applications and also allows an experienced HALCON programmer to add their HALCON procedures to the MERLIC library enabling high performance applications. The ease of use gap with Cognex VisionPro has now possibly vanished.  See a demo of MERLIC here.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1NnxT-S4GY

MVTec HALCON的缺点:北美市场份额小，非程序员的学习曲线较长，更简单的应用程序需要更长的部署时间，软件开发包价格比VisionPro高，美国邮政条形码工具缺乏。

**新信息- MVTec MERLIC和HALCON - MVTec已经宣布了一个新的软件产品名为MERLIC，是基于HALCON库。MERLIC为机器视觉应用程序添加了极其简单的使用功能，还允许有经验的HALCON程序员将他们的HALCON过程添加到MERLIC库中，支持高性能应用程序。与Cognex VisionPro的易用性差距现在可能已经消失。在这里可以看到MERLIC的演示。https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1NnxT-S4GY

Cognex VisionPro Strengths: VisionPro enjoys a much larger market share in the USA, provides an easier to use interface for the non-programmer, low system software development license cost, and barcode tools for US Postal applications ( Postnet and IMBD symbologies) The QuickBuild environment in general allows non programmers to deploy applications fairly quickly.

Cognex VisionPro优点:VisionPro享有一个更大的市场份额在美国,为程序员提供了一个易于使用的界面,系统软件开发许可证成本低、条形码工具为我们邮政应用程序(Postnet和IMBD象征学)QuickBuild环境一般允许非程序员快速部署应用程序。

Cognex VisionPro Weaknesses: Very limited capability 3D machine vision algorithm library, high run time software license costs, low image bit depth support, lack of GPU processing, and a small number of image processing algorithms ( for instance: no FFT) .The VisionPro QuickBuild environment for advanced vision applications can add unnecessary complexity and you may be better off programming everything in C# or.NET and avoiding the QuickBuild environment altogether.

Cognex VisionPro缺点:非常有限的能力3 d机器视觉算法库,运行时软件许可成本高,低的位深度图像的支持,缺乏GPU处理,和少量的图像处理算法(例如:没有FFT)。VisionPro QuickBuild环境高级视觉应用程序可以添加不必要的复杂性和你最好的编程在c#或.NET,完全避免QuickBuild环境。

Vision Processing Performance视觉处理性能: HALCON vs. VisionPro

2D Pattern Matching: VisionPro's PatMax and HALCON's Geometric Pattern Matching algorithms have nearly identical 2D pattern matching performance on 8 bit images. HALCON can perform 2D pattern matching on 16 bit images.  VisionPro pattern matching is limited to 8 bit image processing.

2D模式匹配:VisionPro的PatMax和HALCON的几何模式匹配算法在8位图像上具有几乎相同的2D模式匹配性能。HALCON可以对16位图像进行二维模式匹配。VisionPro模式匹配仅限于8位图像处理。

1D and 2D Metrology:  HALCON supports 32 bit depth processing  - VisionPro performs primarily 8 bit processing, but a small number of tools are 16 bit.

1D和2D计量:HALCON支持32位深度处理- VisionPro主要执行8位处理，但少数工具是16位。

Blob analyis: HALCON blob tool is more extensive, much more flexible and powerful - VisionPro's tool is fairly basic and adequate for typical applications.

粒子分析:HALCON Blob工具更加广泛，更加灵活和强大——VisionPro的工具对于典型的应用程序来说是基本的和足够的。

Image processing filters - HALCON has upwards of 100 Image Processing filters including FFT ( Fast Fourier Transformation) that run at a higher bit depth - Most HALCON filters run at 32 bits - VisionPro has a short list of image processing filters and most are 8 bit and some are 16 bit.  VisionPro lacks an FFT ( Fast Fourier Transformation) algorithm which is important in inspection applications to remove fixed pattern textures.

图像处理过滤器- HALCON有超过100种图像处理过滤器包括FFT(快速傅里叶变换),运行在更高的位深度-大多数HALCON过滤器运行在32位。VisionPro图像处理的过滤器大多数是8位和16位。VisionPro缺乏FFT(快速傅里叶变换)算法，这在去除固定模式纹理的检测应用中非常重要。

Image Classifier Tools - HALCON supports a large # of pre-defined classifier tools for identification and inspection applications.   HALCON supports multi-layer perceptron neural net classifier; support vector machine classifier; Gaussian mixture models classifier; clustering with n-dimensional boxes and spheres for data sets with a non-normal distribution; k-nearest neighbors classifier; automatic feature selection.  

图像分类器工具- HALCON支持大量预先定义的分类器工具，用于识别和检查应用程序。HALCON支持多层感知器神经网络分类器;支持向量机分类器;高斯混合模型分类器;对于非正态分布的数据集，用n维框和球体进行聚类;K-邻域分类器;自动特征选择。

Cognex has an "Inspection Designer" or CogDataAnalysis tool that allows you to create a custom classifier from the results within your application.  There are no pre-defined classifier tools in VisionPro.  There is an add-on software module called VisionPro Surface - training algorithms learn the appearance of each class of defect based on the user’s visual cues.

Cognex有一个“检查设计器”或CogDataAnalysis工具，它允许您根据应用程序中的结果创建自定义分类器。VisionPro中没有预定义的分类器工具。有一个附加的软件模块叫做VisionPro表面训练算法，根据用户的视觉提示学习每一类缺陷的外观。

OCR and OCV: Equivalent performance on OCR applications, VisionPro has an advantage on OCV applications due to an easier to use interface.  HALCON has a library of pre-trained industrial fonts that can be used without training which is a nice feature.

OCR和OCV:在OCR应用程序上的性能相当，VisionPro在OCV应用程序上具有优势，因为它更容易使用接口。HALCON有一个预先训练好的工业字体库，不需要训练就可以使用，这是一个很好的特性。HALCON新版本中OCR使用了深度学习功能，性能更强大一些，视觉论坛观点。

1D and 2D Barcode tools -  Equivalent performance on 1D and 2D barcode symbologies -  Cognex enjoys an advantage on the number of barcode grading metrics and also has US Postal Barcode capability.

1D和2D条码工具—在1D和2D条码符号上的等效性能—Cognex在条码分级指标上具有优势，并具有美国邮政条码功能。

Image Acquisition and features:  VisionPro has support for cameras through their Image Acquisition partners.  A camera manufacturer or Cognex must create a custom camera configuration file - also known as a CCF.  VisionPro does support generic GeniCam for Gig E Vision devices, but oddly enough does not support generic GeniCam for other frameworks such as CameraLink, CoaXpress, or USB 3.

HALCON supports all of the image acquisition standards - Gig E Vision, USB 3 Vision, GeniCam, GenTL, DirectShow, TWAIN, .....  HALCON also has the ability to create HDR (High Dynamic Range) images from standard non-HDR cameras - typically you can get over 100dB of dynamic range using the HALCON algorithms with a typical Basler Gig E camera vision camera.

图像采集和功能:VisionPro支持摄像机需要成为其图像采集合作伙伴。相机制造商或Cognex必须创建一个自定义的相机配置文件——也称为CCF。VisionPro支持通用GeniCam的GigE Vision设备，但奇怪的是，它不支持CameraLink、CoaXpress或USB 3等其他框架的通用GeniCam。

HALCON支持所有图像采集标准——Gig E Vision、USB 3 Vision、GeniCam、GenTL、DirectShow、TWAIN、……HALCON还具有从标准非HDR相机创建HDR(高动态范围)图像的能力——通常使用HALCON算法和典型的Basler Gig E摄像机视觉摄像机可以获得超过100dB的动态范围。

3D Vision tools: 3D工具

3D Alignment and Guidance:3D对齐和指南

HALCON's 3D vision application capability is the biggest technical advantage over Cognex VisionPro by far.

HALCON的3D视觉应用能力是目前与Cognex VisionPro相比最大的技术优势。

HALCON provides true 3D shape based point cloud pattern matching.  HALCON has the ability to search for 3D shapes based upon CAD file import or "golden template" point cloud data from a large variety of 3D image acquisition devices.  HALCON uses the entire 3D shape (point cloud) of an object for recognition and guidance.

HALCON提供了真正的基于3D形状的点云模式匹配。HALCON能够根据CAD文件导入或“黄金模板”点云数据从各种3D图像采集设备搜索3D图形。HALCON使用对象的整个3D形状(点云)来识别和指导。

HALCON provides further methods for 3D position recognition that work on images from a single camera such as Shape-based Matching of 3D CAD models as well as methods to find flat objects in 3D based on their perspective deformation.

HALCON提供了进一步的3D位置识别方法，这些方法可以在单个摄像机的图像上工作，比如3D CAD模型的基于形状的匹配，以及根据透视变形在3D中找到平面物体的方法。

Cognex VisionPro provides pseudo 3D pattern matching by performing triangulation on multiple 2D shapes using PatMax pose data. ( VisionPro is not true 3D point cloud) Some would consider the Cognex technique 2.5D, not 3D. HALCON can also perform the same 2.5D matching technique that VisionPro employs if that solution provides "good enough" results for the application.

Cognex VisionPro通过使用PatMax位姿数据对多个二维形状进行三角剖分，提供伪3D模式匹配。(VisionPro不是真正的3D点云)有些人会认为Cognex的是2.5D技术，而不是3D技术。HALCON还可以执行与VisionPro相同的2.5D匹配技术，前提是该解决方案为应用程序提供“足够好的”结果。

3D Inspection ( Metrology) - VisionPro 3D inspection is limited to translating 3D data into arrays of data. It can only perform measurements such as height, width and volume from base planes.  I.E. - Cognex VisionPro cannot perform 3D shape based surface inspection within 3D Point Clouds using 3D CAD models or a golden surface point cloud template.

HALCON provides the ability to extract objects from 3D point clouds and measure their 3D size and shape. HALCON also can register and combine point cloud data from multiple sensors into the same coordinate system allowing the best sensors to be combined for a vision task. HALCON can detect 3D defects through surface comparison with a CAD model or "golden" image. HALCON can create an unlimted number of base planes for making measurements or 3D matching.

3D检查(计量)- VisionPro 3D检查仅限于将3D数据转换成数据数组。它只能在基平面上执行诸如高度、宽度和体积等测量。例如，Cognex VisionPro不能使用3D CAD模型或黄金表面点云模板在3D点云内进行基于3D形状的表面检测。

HALCON提供了从3D点云中提取对象并测量其3D大小和形状的能力。HALCON还可以将多个传感器的点云数据注册并合并到同一个坐标系统中，从而使最好的传感器能够组合在一起完成视觉任务。HALCON可以通过与CAD模型或“黄金”图像的表面比较来检测三维缺陷。HALCON可以为测量或3D匹配创建未绑定的基础平面数量。

3D Image acquisition - HALCON can acquire 3D data from stereo images, laser line profilers, time of flight sensors, interferometers, Microsoft Kinect and fringe projection systems using industry standard interfaces such as Gig E, USB3, GeniCam, GenTL, DirectShow,.....  VisionPro can only acquire 3D data from their own branded & re-labeled Micro-Epsilon laser line profilers and stereo camera pairs. .

3D图像采集—HALCON通过行业标准接口(Gig E、USB3、GeniCam、GenTL、DirectShow、……VisionPro只能从他们自己的品牌和重新标记的Micro-Epsilon激光线轮廓仪和立体声摄像机对中获取3D数据。

Programming and hardware environment flexibility: HALCON supports Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems and more programming languages and environments than Cognex.  VisionPro only supports Windows and has stopped supporting their customers who want to use ActiveX and COM.

HALCON also supports numerous embedded hardware platforms such as OMAP4, ARM, TI-DSP, and Beagle Board-xM.

编程和硬件环境灵活性:HALCON支持Windows、Mac OS X和Linux操作系统，支持比Cognex更多的编程语言和环境。VisionPro只支持Windows，并且已经停止支持那些想使用ActiveX和COM的客户。

HALCON还支持许多嵌入式硬件平台，如OMAP4、ARM、TI-DSP和Beagle Board-xM。

Real-time Vision Processing, camera acquisition and & I/O - Some applications require hard real time vision processing, camera acquisition and deterministic I/O.  HALCON can run within a real-time kernel within Windows called Kithara ( www.kithara.us) that allows hard real time vision applications on a standard PC.  Real time vision applications from camera acquisition, to vision processing, and I/O control via EtherCat, ProfiBus and CAN Bus can be done with HALCON.  VisionPro's .NET architecture can only run within a Windows environment and is subject to Windows inherent latency effects making real-time applications impossible.

实时视觉处理，相机采集和& I/O -一些应用程序需要硬实时视觉处理，相机采集和确定性I/O。HALCON可以在Windows的一个名为Kithara (www.kithara.us)的实时内核中运行，该内核允许在标准PC上运行硬实时视觉应用程序。从相机采集到视觉处理的实时视觉应用，以及通过EtherCat、ProfiBus和CAN Bus的I/O控制，都可以通过HALCON实现。VisionPro的。net体系结构只能在Windows环境中运行，受Windows固有的延迟影响，无法实现实时应用程序。

GPU processing capability: In many applications requiring a PC based software product, speed is a very important consideration.  GPU co-processing can extend the application ceiling capability.  HALCON supports GPU processing. VisionPro does not.

GPU处理能力:在许多需要基于PC的软件产品的应用程序中，速度是一个非常重要的考虑因素。GPU共处理可以扩展应用上限能力。HALCON支持GPU处理。VisionPro没有。

Technical Support:  MVTec has over 45 software and applications engineers working on and supporting the HALCON product.  In North America the factory trained distributors such as us (JMAK Automation) are the first line of support, who then rely on a dedicated team of support engineers located in the US and Germany. Supporting a software product via the internet today via remote log in makes support location trivial.  HALCON is a very large software package and can perform very complicated tasks.  Therefore in complex vision tasks HALCON can sometimes be overwhelming and an excellent support network is necessary.

VisonPro support - Cognex is a large corporation with many different product lines. The customers we work with tell us that VisionPro technical support has waned over time.  More attention is put into the ID and InSight products so even though Cognex has more application and support engineers located in the US, only a selec t few actually know and can support VisionPro in depth.

技术支持:MVTec有超过45名软件和应用工程师，致力于和支持HALCON产品。在北美，经过工厂培训的分销商，如美国(JMAK自动化)，是第一批提供支持的公司，他们依赖于美国和德国的专业支持工程师团队。现在通过远程登录通过internet支持软件产品使支持位置变得微不足道。HALCON是一个非常大的软件包，可以执行非常复杂的任务。因此，在复杂的视觉任务中，HALCON有时可能是压倒性的，一个优秀的支持网络是必要的。

VisonPro support - Cognex是一家拥有许多不同产品线的大公司。与我们合作的客户告诉我们，VisionPro技术支持随着时间的推移已经减少。尽管Cognex在美国有更多的应用和支持工程师，但只有少数人真正了解并能够深入支持VisionPro，因此对ID和InSight产品投入了更多的关注。

Up Front License Costs: Advantage to Cognex - Provides a timed 12 month USB Development System dongle for $995/yr that must be renewed annually at $995. Disadvantage - Cognex's VisionPro Development license cannot be deployed as a run time license.

HALCON - $6875 to get started with a perpetual development license of that version and any future releases within 12 months.  Advantage - HALCON development license can also be deployed as a run-time license.

预先许可成本:Cognex的优势——提供一个12个月的定时USB开发系统软件，价格为995美元/年，必须每年以995美元的价格更新。缺点- Cognex的VisionPro开发许可证不能作为运行时许可证部署。

HALCON - $6875开始有该版本的永久开发许可证和任何未来12个月内发行更新版。优势- HALCON开发许可证也可以部署为运行时许可证。HALCON18后也采用租的方式，即按年付费。视觉论坛观点。

Deployment License Costs:

Advantage to HALCON

HALCON run time licenses vary from $812 to $1688 for the entire 2D and 3D library of tools and the classification tools.  OEMs and system's integrators and volume end users can enjoy very large cost savings while not giving up application capability but having enhanced capability.

VisionPro's entry level run time license without PatMax, PatQuick, Correlation Search, OCV/OCR or their 3D tools are around $1600, a run time license with PatMax is ~$4500.00.  We do not know the license charge for the VisionPro 3D tool set containing only a total of (3) 3D vision tools or the VisionPro Surface Inspection tool set.

部署许可成本:

HALCON的优势

HALCON运行时许可从812美元到1688美元不等，用于整个2D和3D工具库以及分类工具。原始设备制造商和系统集成商以及数量终端用户可以在不放弃应用程序功能的同时享受到非常大的成本节约，同时具有增强的功能。

VisionPro不使用PatMax、PatQuick、Correlation Search、OCV/OCR或3D工具的入门级运行时许可约为1600美元，使用PatMax的运行时许可约为4500美元。我们不知道VisionPro 3D工具集的许可费用，该工具集仅包含(3)个3D视觉工具或VisionPro表面检测工具集。

Worldwide and North America Market Share:

VisionPro has a small advantage over HALCON in current % of sales.

HALCON has higher market share in Germany.

Asia marketshare is deemed to be equivalent.

North America - VisionPro has a much larger market share.

全球及北美市场占有率:

VisionPro与HALCON相比，在市场销售额百分比中略有优势。

HALCON在德国的市场份额更高。

亚洲市场份额被认为是等同的。

北美- VisionPro拥有更大的市场份额。

Cognex VisionPro Users can now combine HALCON within VisionPro

A German based engineering firm called Gefasoft has developed a VisionPro Halcon Wrapper.  If your organization has standardized on Cognex VisionPro you can now easily combine the power of the HALCON library within the VisionPro environment.  

http://www.gefasoft-regensburg.de/en/products/gefasoft-visionpro-tools.html?type=123

Cognex VisionPro用户现在可以在VisionPro中合并HALCON

一家德国工程公司Gefasoft开发了一种VisionPro Halcon包装器。如果您的组织已经对Cognex VisionPro进行了标准化，那么现在您可以轻松地在VisionPro环境中结合HALCON库的功能。

http://www.gefasoft-regensburg.de/en/products/gefasoft-visionpro-tools.html?type=123

Why does HALCON have such a small North American Market Share?

We are asked why does HALCON have such a small market share in the North America.  We believe this is because MVTec does not invest enough marketing dollars here in North America. This causes the trickledown effect of lack of HALCON product awareness. Cognex has an enormous direct sales force in the US .and the Cognex brand is well known. In North America popular brand names are more often chosen over the best technology or solution.   In Germany the superior products garnish a majority of the market share over time. We personally believe HALCON historically does not demo as cleanly as VisionPro does in initial sales calls especially with non-programmers; albeit HALCON continues to add ease of use "assistants" for the most common applications. Lastly some people believe that HALCON cannot be used as Cognex sued MVTec for patent infringement of their PatMax pattern matching tool in 2007.  Cognex lost this lawsuit in 2010 due to the fact that HALCON did not infringe the Cognex patents in question.- The result is anyone, anywhere can use HALCON and not be worried about legal issues!!

为什么HALCON在北美的市场份额这么小?

我们被问到为什么HALCON在北美的市场份额这么小。我们认为这是因为MVTec没有在北美投入足够的营销资金。这就导致了HALCON产品意识缺失的点滴效应。Cognex在美国拥有庞大的直营销售队伍，而Cognex品牌也广为人知。在北美，流行的品牌往往比最好的技术或解决方案更受青睐。随着时间的推移，德国的优质产品赢得了大部分市场份额。我们个人认为，HALCON在历史上并不像VisionPro在最初的销售电话中那样干净利落，尤其是对非程序员;虽然HALCON继续为最常见的应用程序增加了“助手”的易用性。最后，一些人认为HALCON不能作为Cognex在2007年起诉MVTec侵犯其PatMax模式匹配工具的专利。Cognex在2010年输掉了这场官司，原因是HALCON没有侵犯Cognex的专利。-结果是任何人，任何地方都可以使用HALCON，不用担心法律问题!!

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