A Niche Market With Enormous Potential — Cameras in Dairy Robots
Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) are now standard in modern dairy farms across Europe — from the Netherlands and Denmark to Germany and Poland. The heart of every milking robot is the vision system (camera with IR illumination or laser) that locates the cow's teats and guides the robotic arm with the milking cups.
A vision module failure = the entire milking station stops. A new original camera module costs €1,800–4,200 with lead times of 4–10 weeks. Our repair or OEM replacement module restores full function in 5–10 working days for €280–780. Repaired and replacement modules ship from Poland across Europe.
We serve dairy farms and AMS service engineers from Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy and other European countries.
Dairy Robot Manufacturers and Their Vision Systems
Lely (Netherlands) — Astronaut A3, A4, A5 Next
- Astronaut A3: CCD camera + IR illumination for udder localisation. Outdated CCD sensors now replaced with modern CMOS.
- Astronaut A4: Dual CMOS cameras + IR LED illumination. 3D stereo vision detection. Part number: L86068601. Typical failures: scratched lenses (milk and detergents), failed IR LEDs, oxidised FFC connectors.
- Astronaut A5 Next — TDS 2+: Advanced Teat Detection System 2+ combining a high-resolution colour CMOS with ToF (Time-of-Flight) laser ranging. 5 Mpx sensor, GigE Vision interface. Part: L12345 (TDS2+). Typical failures: cracked sapphire lens, ToF laser failure, GigE interface damaged by ESD.
DeLaval (Sweden) — VMS V100, V200, V300
- VMS Classic / V100: CCD + 850nm IR. Module: 88727230 (no sapphire), 88727230-S (with Saphir lens). Failures: burned IR LEDs, corroded CCD from detergents.
- VMS V200: 2 Mpx CMOS camera. FFC cable: 885769-01. Camera: ELDEMO00075 / ELDEMO00109 (Saphir). Typical failures: FFC cable trace cracks at >500,000 arm cycles, LED driver PCB failure.
- VMS V300 — DeLaval InSight: 3D ToF camera + 8 Mpx colour camera. Real-time teat mapping, flow-responsive milking (standard from June 2025). Module: 896214-01. Failures: 3D calibration loss, Sony IMX556 ToF chip after ESD, sapphire lens damage.
GEA (Germany) — DairyRobot R9500, R9600
- R9500: 2D CMOS + structured illumination. Module: 7904-6510. Failures: internal condensation (lost IP67 seal), IR illumination failure.
- R9600: 3D ToF camera, EtherCAT + PROFINET. Module: 7904-9600-3D. Failures: 3D calibration, ToF chip failure, communication interface surge.
Also Serviced: SAC/Dairymaster SwiftFlo, MiRobot (Ireland); Fullwood Packo M²erlin (UK); Boumatic Gemini (USA).
Most Common Camera Failures in Dairy Robots
- Lens damage (mechanical and chemical): Scratches, condensation, detergent etching of anti-reflection coating. Repair: sapphire (Al₂O₃) or chemical-resistant polycarbonate lens replacement + IP67 re-sealing. €180–380
- IR LED illumination failure (850/940nm): After 50,000–200,000 hours LEDs lose 50–70% luminous power or fail completely. Symptom: robot cannot find teats, miss ratio exceeds 5%. €120–280
- CMOS/CCD sensor damage: ESD, power surge, direct sunlight exposure. Dead pixels, colour noise, no image. Replacement with Sony IMX, Omnivision OV, or On Semiconductor AR sensors. €280–580
- FFC cable failure: Flex cable trace cracks at ~500,000 arm cycles. Intermittent image, "camera error" on panel. €80–180
- 3D/ToF calibration loss: Required after mechanical repair, lens replacement, or sensor swap. Full 3D extrinsic/intrinsic calibration with Lely/DeLaval/GEA-compatible tooling. €120–240
- GigE Vision / EtherCAT interface failure: PHY chip (Marvell 88E1111, TI DP83848) or EtherCAT controller after ESD in wet environment. €160–320
Our OEM Replacement Camera Modules
Beyond repairing originals, we offer our own replacement camera modules compatible with popular AMS systems (Lely A4, DeLaval VMS V200, GEA R9500):
- Sony IMX335 5 Mpx CMOS sensor, 1/2.8", NIR mode
- IR illumination: 8 × Osram SFH4725S 850nm LEDs, 120mW/sr
- Sapphire lens Al₂O₃, M12 mount, 60° FOV
- IP67 sealed (food-grade silicone)
- Interface: USB 3.0 (UVC) or GigE Vision
- Supply: 12V DC, 2.8W
- Operating temp: -10°C to +70°C
- Warranty: 24 months
Available as plug & play (same connectors, factory calibration) or custom (interface change, FOV modification, custom housing). Manufactured in Poland, shipped DHL Express across Europe. Lead time: 7–14 working days standard, 3–4 weeks custom.
Why Repair Instead of Buying New?
| Item | New original module | Repair / our OEM module |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €1,800–4,200 | €280–780 |
| Lead time | 4–10 weeks | 5–10 working days |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12–24 months |
| Availability | Authorised service only | Direct to farm or service engineer |
| Calibration | Factory | Full 3D calibration included |
Pricing
- Lens replacement + IP67 re-sealing: €180–380
- IR LED illumination repair: €120–280
- CMOS/CCD sensor replacement: €280–580
- FFC cable replacement: €80–180
- 3D/ToF calibration: €120–240
- GigE/EtherCAT interface repair: €160–320
- Full camera module overhaul: €380–780
- OEM replacement module: €580–980
- Diagnostic without repair: €80 (deducted from repair)
DHL Express collection and return shipping included (orders over €300). Service open Mon–Fri 08:00–16:00. 12–24 month warranty. No-fix no-fee.