Machine Vision Systems perform complex analytical tasks generally assigned to humans, with the advantage of machine inspection taking place at the same high rate of speed as production. Humans excel in qualitative analysis of a complex scene, but Machine Vision provides the quantitative measurement of simple, structured scenes.)
Machine Vision provides several capabilities, such as presence verification, measurement, pattern recognition, barcode reading, optical character recognition, color match, label verification, print quality inspection, and surface inspection. Effective Machine Vision Systems must not only capture a viable image, but also interpret the image accurately to obtain meaningful information. Grantek designs and implements Machine Vision System solutions ranging from barcode readers to color cameras, and can even implement 3D cameras to determine three dimensions of products.
Incorporating Machine Vision Systems improves quality and offers earlier defect correction, reducing rejections downstream and further unnecessary investment into a product. The Vision system evaluates captured images pixel by pixel, and since inspection takes place at production speeds, problems can be detected and corrected much more quickly.
Machine Vision Systems can be used with new equipment or added to improve performance of existing machines and systems. Two main applications for vision systems are: ID and Tracking (Serialization) , and Defect Detection.
ID and Tracking (Serialization)
Grantek can install Label Verification Systems, an important aspect of Pharmaceutical manufacturing, which is becoming increasingly more important to Food and Beverage manufacturers with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Grantek has experience with Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Optical Character Verification (OCV), and pattern matching to verify that the correct on-demand information is printed on labels, for example.
Defect Detection
Defect Detection may require more vision expertise than Serialization or identification applications, due to the many variables that may represent a defect—no two Defect Detection systems are alike. Grantek creates a customized Vision System accordingly to meet the Defect Detection needs of each customer. We have successfully designed and installed Vision Systems to perform Defect Detection on assembled products, such as counting the quantity of a product included in each package, or ensuring the product is manufactured or assembled correctly before being packaged.