Editorial 

• Promote MV theory, technological development and diffusion to industrial applications 
• Be a forum for members and all machine vision users to dissemi-nate technological experience and to advance professional skills 
• Enhance exchange of information between domestic and interna-tional organizations 

International Connections

VCF is active in building up contacts with MV clubs in other countries. We have attended the Hanover Fair with our member companies for several times.

Members 

The membership of the Club consists of ordinary individual members and patrons. The members represent machine vision providers, users, researchers and students. Any corporate body may register with the council as a patron of the Club. The members represent various fields of MV and automation, including trade, research, manufacturing, education, design and use.

At the beginning of 2002 we had 220 members representing over 40 companies and 8 universities and research centres. 

Vision Boulevard at Automation 2001 fair 

Vision Boulevard( TMR) is a concept by which machine vision vendors and research institutes present together recent advances in machine vision.

The concept consists of a boulevard like coherent decorations, joint advertising and public relations. The key idea behind Vision Boulevard is to attract larger public visibility than each individual exhibitor could achieve. Vision Boulevard has been previously arranged several times and at Automation 2001 fair it was the largest ever having total of fourteen exhibitors.

Vision Boulevard is nowadays a trademark of the Finnish Society of Automation (FSA).

The Finnish Society of Automation

The Finnish Society of Automation (FSA), founded in 1953, is a professional association for specialists within the field of automa-tion technology. The FSA operations cover all branches of the industry. The members represent various fields of automation, including trade, research, manufacturing, education, design and use.

The Aim of the Society is to promote control theory, technological development and industrial applications, be a forum for members and all users of automation to disseminate technological experience and to advance profes-sional skills, enhance exchange of information between domestic and international organizations 

Members

The membership of the society consists of ordinary, young, per-manent and honorary members and patrons. Any person willing to promote the goals of the society may apply for membership. Any legal body may register with the council as a patron of the society.

In 2002 we have more than 2000 ordinary members, nine honorary members and 52 patrons in the society.

Organization and Operations

Operations of the society are administered by the Council, which consists of the Chairman and seven members, including the Secretary General and the Treasurer. The annual meeting of the society elects the council, and it nominates committees and sec-tions. In 2002, the society has six committees and six sections.
Committees: Education, Maintenance, IMEKO affairs, Field bus development, Technology, IFAC affairs, International
Sections: Power Plant Automation, Finnish Batch Forum, Vision Club of Finland (VCF), Building Automation Forum in Finland (BAFF), Finnish Simulation Forum (FinSim), Automation Safety Forum (ASAF)

Automation Foundation

The society has established a foundation to give financial support to publishing in the automation field, Finnish professional litera-ture, in particular 

Finnish Automation Support Ltd

The company provides the society with necessary office services. It also makes practical arrangements of scientific events, excur-sions, society meetings, exhibitions etc.

Automaatioväylä

The Automaatioväylä (Automation Bus) periodical is the leading Finnish professional publication in the automation field. The members of the society receive seven annual volumes included in the membership fee.
 
Juhani Hirvonen