Minebea Intec Launches Vision Systems for Automated End-of-line Quality Inspection
Minebea Intec’s new vision systems VisioCompact, SmartInspector and VisioPointer supplement quality control with automatic optical inspections at critical points and offer individually modified inspection criteria.
“The requirements for vision systems for end-of-line quality control today often go far beyond the performance of individual camera installations,” says the company. “Inspection points with image processing should at best detect several quality-related problems simultaneously. In addition, data and statistics are to be generated in real time and used for optimisation and documentation. Therefore, such complex inspection tasks require systems with the latest software, camera and lighting technology and corresponding know-how.”
With the new series of vision systems, Minebea Intec adds a fourth pillar of quality inspection to its portfolio of end-of-line inspection equipment. Food can now pass through all quality inspections with Minebea Intec solutions without any gaps: from checkweighers, metal detectors, X-ray inspection to the new automated vision systems. Three different sized vision systems can now be used by users based on the requirements of their production line. The compact SmartInspector can be integrated into existing conveyor belts and completes essential inspection options with minimal installation space. The VisioCompact enables a more comprehensive two-sided inspection with numerous inspection options, also with a minimal footprint. The VisioPointer system offers the widest range of inspection criteria of any single unit, supported by three cameras as standard, multiple types of illumination and optional side and satellite cameras for multi-sided analysis. Added to this is the range of customized solutions as Inline-Inspector for integration into packaging machines. Cameras and lighting in the systems can also be extended beyond the near-infrared spectrum to hyperspectral analysis.
One of the most important optical quality checks in the food sector is the seal seam inspection, because the product’s best-before date can only be achieved with tight packaging. “Seal seam inspection with cameras is fast, non-destructive and adaptable. Conventional methods do not offer these advantages. We are proud to now be able to integrate this outstanding solution into our customers’ production,” says Dr Thorsten Vollborn, Head of Product Management for Inspection Products at Minebea Intec. However, Minebea Intec’s vision systems can do much more than just this one inspection process. Depending on the customer’s needs, further parallel inspection steps are possible.