/ Global Food & Processing Powerhouse /

In the food and beverage industry, marking production dates and batch codes on packaging is common. It isn’t a question of whether to do it, but rather how to do it more accurately and efficiently. It’s also not limited to perishable goods, as many non-perishable food manufacturers are also joining in. They know when it comes to product recalls, being swift and pinpoint-accurate is a necessity. And whether it's gourmet delicacies or pantry staples, consumer expectations are high and brand loyalty can fall in an instant.  

When it came to our customer—a global food and processing powerhouse—they set the bar high by employing laser technology to engrave these codes onto their packaging. However, there tended to be variability in how the laser burns the codes into the packaging. That led to difficulty with their legacy vision system, causing a high false positive rate, and leading to a significant amount of re-work for this leading manufacturer. Here’s how we tackled this packaging predicament.

From Reservations to Results: A Next Level Code Inspection System

After meeting with the customer to listen and understand their needs, we decided to assemble a new vision system: a Matrox Iris GTX Series camera from Zebra. This camera, right out of the box, boasted superior functionality compared to its predecessor. However, they had reservations about bringing a PC into the mix. Zebra and Gray AES problem-solved, implementing Zebra’s sophisticated algorithm for their smart camera directly into the hardware for a new version of the camera using a built-in Linux processor.

At the heart of this ingenious smart vision system lies an exceptional artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm, meticulously crafted to encompass a vast library of over 10,000 fonts. This empowered the camera to flex its reading muscles, effortlessly deciphering an array of character variations at extremely high speeds and resolutions. False positives plummeted while real issues were identified swiftly, ensuring their packaging process remained smooth.

We didn't just stop at skillfully programming the vision system. We used our ingenuity and expertise to create a user-friendly visualization system for the operators and developed software that talks to the Rockwell-based automation system. The data went straight to the Rockwell PLC, which acted like a decision-maker. If a package passed inspection, it continued on through the packaging process. If it didn’t, the PLC directs it to a different path.

Smart Vision, Savvy Investment

In a world where food and beverage regulations are increasingly stricter and manufacturers feel the pinch on their profit margins, having a trusty traceability system is critical. The smart vision system we implemented in partnership with this customer was a fairly low-investment way to vastly improve the accuracy of code inspections, helping keep products on shelves and quality intact.