25 APPLICATION ARTICLES COGNEX
www.cognex.co.uk Food producer satisfies the latest industry
requirements for proof of origin Barcode readers are increasingly being used in the food industry for the automated identification, tracking and tracing of products for clear proof of origin. Until recently, consumers were often left in the dark as to the precise origin of food such as fruit and vegetables. Surveys show, however, that over 60 percent of customers would like to buy food from their own region. Cognex has helped food producer, Hengstenberg, implement an efficient track and trace solution at its Bad Friedrichshall site using the DataMan 302 barcode reader. This allows pickled gherkins bearing the mark of quality "Produced in Germany" to be traced all the way back to the respective grower. Hengstenberg sees the automation of its processes as a means of efficiently meeting the ever stricter requirements of its customers with regard to transparency and proof of origin.
At the beginning of the production chain, the DataMan 302 is used to detect and read
the labels found on the containers containing the classified batches of gherkins. As soon as the manufacturer and product data read has been verified successfully, the gherkins enter downstream production. Long-term storage of the data enables Hengstenberg to trace back the batches even aſter a period of years to the respective field and grower.
The fixed-mount DataMan 302 barcode readers feature integrated and controllable
lighting as well as a liquid lens with adjustable focus to enable the optimum setting of working distance, depth of field and field of view in order to achieve the best-possible read rates. An intelligent auto-tuning function automatically selects the optimum settings for the integrated lighting, autofocus and imager. The patented Cognex Hotbars image analysis technology allows reliable reading of damaged, distorted, blurred and low-contrast codes and information to be transferred to the controller.
CREST SOLUTIONS
www.crestsolutions.ie Vision inspection checks the presence of bottle
and leaflet in Pharma cartons Crest Solutions has installed a vision system on a fully automated bottle packaging line for a major global pharmaceutical company. This system is designed to check the completeness of a pack, which in this case consists of a carton containing a bottle and a leaflet. The client already had a sensor in place to ensure that packs were complete when they reached the end of the packaging line. However following a number of false passes using this method, it became clear that a more thorough system was required in order to safeguard against the risk of incomplete packs entering the marketplace. Although the option of a check weighing system was considered, a vision system was selected as the most cost-effective and efficient solution.
The vision system needed to accommodate a number of variable factors during the
packaging process. For example, carton sizes, bottle sizes and leaflets on the line would be different from from batch to batch, and it is possible that batch changeover could take place on the line multiple times in a single day. In addition, the carton flaps were sometimes damaged or could be in a position where they could be falsely detected as a leaflet. The leaflet itself could be in a variety of locations within the carton, depending on where it is placed by the leaflet inserter.
An integrated vision system was designed utilising an external CSS bar light and a
Cognex Insight 7000 camera. By inspecting for the carton flap in advance of inspecting for the bottle and leaflet, the system eliminates the possibility of the carton flap being falsely detected as a leaflet within the carton. A variety of inspection tools including blobs, patterns and edge tools are used in order to detect the bottle and leaflet. The result of the inspection is presented as a pass or fail. In the final testing phase, a run of 20,000 products through the system resulted in zero false passes. Following installation and validation of the system in accordance with 21 CFR Part 11 requirements, the system now detects closed or damaged carton flaps, leaflet presence, bottle presence and bottle skew, ensuring that the packs leaving the line are complete and ready for market.
Tracking gherkins at Hengstenberg
Checking pharmaceutical pack contents
www.ukiva.org
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