Sidewall, label defects detected via visual inspection

A unique optical configuration and multiple high-resolution cameras, in conjunction with long-lasting LED lighting, makes 360 degree inspection coverage possible on bottles that are translucent or opaque in the OptiCheck Sidewall/Label quality management system for plastic container production from Agr International Inc. (Butler, PA).

OptiCheck, a vision-based inspection and measurement system, is said to be a cost effective, easy to operate, yet extremely reliable approach taking into consideration day-to-day variations in the production of plastic containers with the versatility to deal with frequent product change-overs, color changes and limited line space. Unlike many of the vision products on the market today, the OptiCheck system is designed specifically for bottle measurement and inspection applications as well as the process control needs of the plastic container industry, according to the vendor. Defects that can be detected by the system include folds, contamination, foreign materials, opaque spots, holes, missing or distorted features, flash, and label defects.

A distinguishing factor between the OptiCheck sidewall/label system and other vision systems is said to be its ability to perform label inspection simultaneously with general sidewall defect detection. With the OptiCheck system, the label is treated as part of the bottle and inspected accordingly. This is significant for manufacturers that utilize the in-mold labeling process, since bottles and labels can be inspected as one complete unit assuring total package integrity and conformity. In addition to the ability to monitor label, position, skew, and common cosmetic defects, the OptiCheck sidewall/label system incorporates a powerful pattern matching capability that facilitates the detection of a wide variety of label non-conformances.-[email protected]