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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. )*

                                (Name of Issuer)

                                PPT Vision, Inc.

                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                  Common stock

                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                    693519209

             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

                                September 1, 2005

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

      [X]   Rule 13d-1 (b)

      [ ]   Rule 13d-1 (c)

      [ ]   Rule 13d-1 (d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but
shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the notes).

PERSONS WHO RESPOND TO THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM ARE
NOT REQUIRED TO RESPOND UNLESS THE FORM DISPLAYS A CURRENTLY VALID OMB CONTROL
NUMBER.



                                       13G
CUSIP No. 082073 10 7                                                Page 2 of 5

      1.    Name of Reporting Person: Nichols,    I.R.S. Identification Nos. of
            James William D/B/A Nichols           above persons (entities only):
            Investment Management                 04-3352585

      2.    Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group:
            (a)          [ ]
            (b)          [ ]

      3.    SEC Use Only:

      4.    Citizenship or Place of Organization:
            U.S.

        Number of
          Shares
       Beneficially
         Owned by
      Each Reporting
       Person With

                  5.    Sole Voting Power:

                  6.    Shared Voting Power:

                  7.    Sole Dispositive Power: 110,136

                  8.    Shared Dispositive Power:

      9.    Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person:
            110,136

      10.   Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares:
            [ ]

      11.   Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9):
            3.67%

      12.   Type of Reporting Person:
            IA

                                       2

ITEM 1(A).  NAME OF ISSUER: PPT VISION, INC.

ITEM 1(B).  ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES: 12988 VALLEY VIEW
            ROAD
            Eden Prairie, MN  55344

ITEM 2(A).  NAME OF PERSONS FILING: NICHOLS, JAMES WILLIAM D/B/A/ NICHOLS
            INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

ITEM 2(B).  ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE: 175
            EXCHANGE STREET   P.O. BOX 904
            BANGOR, ME 04402-0904

ITEM 2(C).  CITIZENSHIP: U.S.

ITEM 2(D).  TITLE AND CLASS OF SECURITIES: COMMON STOCK

ITEM 2(E).  CUSIP NUMBER: 693519209

                                       3

ITEM 3.     IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO RULES 13D-1(B), OR 13D-2(B),
            CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:

(a)         [ ]   Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act;

(b)         [ ]   Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act;

(c)         [ ]   Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act;

(d)         [ ]   Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
                  Investment Company Act;

(e)         [X]   Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of the
                  Investment Advisers Act of 1940;

(f)         [ ]   Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the
                  provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
                  1974 or Endowment Fund;

(g)         [ ]   Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Rule
                  13d-1(b)(ii)(G);

(h)         [ ]   Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(l)(ii)(H).

ITEM 4.     OWNERSHIP .

(a)         Amount beneficially owned:   110,136

(b)         Percent of class:   3.67%

(c)         Number of shares as to which such person has:

            (i)   Sole power to vote or to direct the vote:

            (ii)  Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:

            (iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 110,136

            (iv)  Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:

ITEM 5.     OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS . All shares reported
            in this schedule are owned by the advisory clients of the reporting
            person.

ITEM 6.     OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON .

ITEM 7.     IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED
            THE SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY . NA

ITEM 8.     IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP . NA

ITEM 9.     NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP . NA

ITEM 10.    CERTIFICATION .

                                       4

                                    SIGNATURE

      After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete, and
correct.

Dated: September 9, 2005

                                        By: /s/ James William Nichols
                                            -------------------------
                                                James William Nichols

                                        5