Connect an FTP Smart Camera to Roboflow and a PLC

You can add AI defect detection to smart cameras that only send images over FTP or SFTP, like the Omron VHV5. A small Python bridge receives each image, runs it through a Roboflow RF-DETR Workflow that finds scratches and dents on 3D-printed parts, and writes one status word to an Omron NX102 PLC over OPC UA, in about 800 ms per part on a local GPU. This guide shows how to build a 3D print defect detection system with an FTP camera, Roboflow, and a PLC. The system inspects finished 3D-printed shock towers for scratches and dents, then sends an inspection result to an Omron NX102 controller over OPC UA. The connection starts with a small Python application called the VHV5 Viewer. An Omron VHV5 barcode reader captures each part in a fixture and uploads its image over FTP or SFTP. The Viewer sends that image to a Roboflow Workflow running in the cloud…