FEATURE THERMAL IMAGING & VISION SYSTEMS
INSPECTING technology
U
sing vision systems within inspection processes is a fast, accurate and
sometimes safer way in which to check a variety of factors. As a result, the use of vision technology in industry is expanding at a great rate, encompassing an ever-widening range of applications. Take GlaxoSmithKline as one example. The company’s Evreux, France, site produces 130 million boxes of inhaled forms (aerosols, inhaled products) each year, with 85% of its production exported to 130 countries with AFSSAPS, MCA and FDA approval. Every minute, 15,000 patients around the world take a dose of medication produced at GSK Evreux. Traceability is therefore essential. Needing a vision system to inspect the products, the company turned to Keyence for a solution that would not require any direct operator intervention to eliminate the risk of incorrect adjustments. One product produced is the Diskus, a
multidose powder inhaler that delivers a metered dose of medication. For this, a three-camera XG vision system is being used to check the marking of each inhaler. The first camera uses OCR to check an in-house code that is engraved with a YAG laser. The second checks the placement and diameter of the label, inspecting it for tears and making sure that the legal notices printed on it are legible. The label is printed on a white background at a rate of 110 to 150 strokes per minute. The last camera is used to check a special label with a black background used for the Japanese market. With the new system, operators enter
the code of the product to be inspected into the PLC controlling the vision system.
Whether it is for the inspection of pharmaceuticals, packaged products or even high temperature heaters and furnaces, the latest thermal imaging and vision systems can help
Of benefit, due to the detection performed it is necessary to routinely make changes to the vision system. With the Keyence system, it could be modified as needed. Thanks to the system, not only was detection stable over time, the company explains, but determining the right inspection setting is easily carried out. Inspection of packaged products is another growing area for vision systems. One of Olmec UK’s latest applications was for a production line located in the People’s Republic of China. Here, the calibration, validation and documentation for the system were of critical importance. The high speed End of Line (EOL) vision
inspection and collation system is being used for products sealed in paper-based pouches prior to manual transfer into cartons. The system handles the entire passage of the product from triggering the camera for inspection to initiating the reject mechanism if required, through to the custom-designed shingled collation system. The vision inspection system uses
Olmec’s infrared line scan imaging configuration which allows the product to be imaged through the paper pouch. Here, not only are the outer packaging and product dimensions inspected but they are checked for defects such as product trapped in the pouch seals, dirt, debris and dust, with 80µm resolution. According to the company, a full Failure
Mode Effects Analysis (FMEA) was carried out as part of the design process. The FMEA ensures that there is no possibility of defective product getting through the system – in the event of any actions
HIGH SPEED INSPECTION...
A new range of high speed inspection cameras has been launched by Industrial Vision Systems (IVS). The NCG cameras offer a resolution of up to 2592 x 1944 pixels and, at 105 frames per second, offer the ability to inspect up to 6,300 parts per minute on a single camera at much finer detail than previously available, the company explains. The higher resolutions and faster read rates are said to result in greater levels of inspection monitoring. The devices are therefore suitable for higher speed productions lines such as medical device inspection, food processing, label inspection and automotive applications. Being ‘plug and play’, the cameras are already fully integrated with IVS’s NeuroCheck software platform, a visual inspection system for industrial manufacturing. According to Earl Yardley, IVS director, the cameras have been designed to increase system efficiency and save cost at a vision system level. They also offer easy calibration, versatile implementation and boast optimal mechanical design.
Industrial Vision Systems T: 01865 823322
www.industrialvision.co.uk Enter 684
GlaxoSmithKline is using a vision system from Keyence to inspect its Diskus multidose powder inhaler
needing to be taken on the collator, no access is allowed until it has been completely purged.
INSPECTING FURNACES High temperature furnaces are used within the chemical, petrochemical and utility industries, and information on the condition of these can be used to prevent failures and unscheduled shutdowns. To help, FLIR Systems’ portable GF309
IR camera is being used to inspect industrial furnaces, chemical heaters and coal-fired boilers, without the need to shut down the operation. This instrument has a contoured,
nickel-coated heat-shield to reflect the heat, protecting both the camera and its operator. Furthermore, it is capable of measuring temperatures from -40°C to +1500°C with high accuracy across the range, and can measure through flames from a safe distance. Applications include inspecting tubes for reduced heat transfer due to scale build- up and localised tube failure due to overheating. It can also be used for electrical and mechanical inspection tasks ranging from predicting the life of a bearing to spotting poor electrical connections. Thanks to its sensitivity of <25mK, small faults can be seen at a good range, the company explains.
Keyence
www.keyence.co.uk
Olmec
www.olmec-uk.com
Flir Systems
www.flir.com
36 JULY/AUGUST 2014 | INSTRUMENTATION Enter 681 Enter 682 Enter 683 / INSTRUMENTATION
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