JAI A/S Celebrates 60 Years in the Machine Vision Industry

Jørgen Andersen, the founder, is still active as chairman of the board for the camera manufacturer.

  • December 5, 2023
  • 725 views
  • Six decades of success, with more than 1 million cameras sold. Industrial cameras now and then.
    Six decades of success, with more than 1 million cameras sold. Industrial cameras now and then.

JAI A/S marked its 60-year corporate anniversary. Founded in Denmark in 1963 by Jørgen Andersen, the company designs, manufactures and sells industrial area scan and line scan cameras used in factory automation systems, food sorting, semiconductor inspection, life sciences, intelligent traffic systems, and other industry segments around the world. JAI engineered its first industrial camera 50 years ago. Since then, the company has expanded its operations both organically and through an acquisition of a Japanese industrial camera manufacturer, and through the acquisition of the Japanese California-based camera manufacturer Pulnix. This latter acquisition not only strengthened JAI's position as a global provider of area scan and line scan cameras for the machine vision industry, but also launched JAI into the field of specialized traffic cameras and subsystems.

Today, JAI offers a robust product portfolio comprising more than 100 feature-rich standard industrial camera models, complemented by a range of high-resolution cameras and special multi-sensor cameras designed to support advanced vision requirements in the machine vision industry.

Multispectral imaging

JAI’s multi-sensor cameras feature innovative prism-based technology not available from most other camera manufacturers. These cameras include 3-sensor prism-based area scan and line scan cameras, which are prized for their high degree of color accuracy in food sorting, pharmaceuticals, printing, and life sciences applications. Prism technology is also used to create cameras for multispectral imaging, combining the visible spectrum with near-infrared (NIR) or short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging to reveal defects and other data that can’t be detected under visible wavelengths alone.  

According to Jørgen Andersen, JAI’s longevity in the industry is not only due to innovations such as these multi-sensor cameras, but also to the company’s longstanding focus on quality and strong customer relationships. "We develop new cameras and functionality in close cooperation with customers aiming at improving the efficiency of their vision systems. And customers want cameras that not only work exceptionally well, but offer exceptional reliability,” says Jørgen Andersen. 
Jørgen Andersen remains active in the company, serving as chairman of the board and contributing to shaping the company's future strategic direction. He sees the 60-year anniversary as both a time to reflect and to look ahead.