It's all about finding the best way for you
When a customer calls us for a machine vision project, we first do a free quick-scan of the application. In most cases we take some samples and do some first preliminary tests to see what might be possible.
With this information we make a budget quotation and an offer for a pre-investigation (also called proof-of-concept). This is a non-free in-depth study of the application to determine the weaknesses and expected problems. The customer receives a detailed report which describes the performed investigation and its results. This report also contains the proposed vision-setup and hardware.
Together with the previous results, the customer also receives a detailed pricequote. In case the customer proceeds with the application (buys the project) the price of the proof-of-concept-study is refunded. This way, economical risks are avoided for both parties.