Machine Vision: End User Solutions
Applications: Pharmaceutical
Problem - Vial Inspection
A manufacturer of glass vials needed to inspect the labels and caps on each vial prior to final packaging. The vision system had to determine if the labels were present and correctly aligned. At the same time, the vision system had to make sure that the cap was correctly attached and not damaged.
Solution
The problem was solved using Sherlock with NetSight and two cameras. If the label was present it wrapped around the vial completely. Given this, Sherlock was able to easily detect it and determine it's height from the base using one camera image. The second camera captured a side view image of the cap. Using the neck of the vial as a landmark, Sherlock was able to determine the presence, relative position and shape of the cap. The position determined if the cap was securely attached, while the shape indicated if the vial had been damaged.
