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42 MACHINERY UPDATE JULY/AUGUST 2018 www.machineryupdate.co.uk
Feature: Automation, robotics and vision
Vision systems are
meeting modern
producer demands
The technical
development of
vision systems has
seen them grow
from performing
a function of brand protection to
a more encompassing role related
to productivity and increasing
overall equipment effectiveness,”
says Joanna Mooberry, product
inspection specialist with
Mettler-Toledo.
This rapid evolution is due
largely to developments in
inspection software, which makes
verification of packaging integrity,
labels, codes, fill levels and more
as simple and intuitive as possible.
Today, multiple inspection criteria
can be configured at the touch of
a button, including cap skew, lot/
code, neck/thread inspection and
label position.
For oriented product packs,
the operator can configure the
software to set front and back label
inspections, to ensure that nothing
is ever missed.
Nevertheless, the complexities
of modern manufacturing and
continuing innovations in
packaging design mean there are
always new challenges to meet.
One example is the inspection of
inkjet-printed labels and markings.
Industrial vision systems have
difficulty in accurately reading such
print, at speed, in high-throughput
production environments.
Vibrations on production lines and
uneven print surfaces can easily
make this type of print distorted
Vision inspection software is ensuring
checks on dot matrix info is accurate
More than
joining dots
Technical
advances have
given modern
vision systems
a much more
encompassing
role related
to productivity
and difficult to interpret. Mettler-
Toledo has developed its vision
inspection software to compensate
for these distortions, making checks
on dot matrix information far more
accurate, says Mooberry.
The CIVCore Dot Print Tool1
achieves greater accuracy by
combining several key capabilities.
Firstly, the system is configured
to detect characters in a range
of sizes and can be programmed
to check dates, date ranges,
and text sequences. It can cope
with variable surfaces and is
optimised, via its programming,
to inspect a variety of materials
that may have convex, concave,
rough or uneven surfaces.
This tool also features automatic
orientation detection, so it can read
the inkjet print whether or not it is
presented the right way up.
A final guarantee of accuracy is
the software’s ability to detect each
individual character string.
This is particularly important
when characters may be touching,
or blurred due to print quality.
Of course, innovations like
the Dot Print Tool cannot be applied
at the expense of production. The
software therefore has multi-line
reading capabilities that allows
it to quickly process images and
keep up with rapid production
speeds. This software innovation
means that packing lines can
automatically reject any misprints
within the manufacturing facility
and rework the products onsite,
eliminating any recalls that might
otherwise have occurred.
To conclude, modular design
and ease of programming
combine to make vision systems
flexible enough to meet rapidly
changing requirements in modern
manufacturing facilities. Moreover,
product inspection equipment
manufacturers like Mettler-Toledo
are committed to meeting new
challenges with solutions that are
sensitive to the key production
drivers of speed, accuracy and
maximum uptime.
T 0116 235 7070
W www.mt.com