The challenge
When packaging vegetable seeds, a flawless label is essential. Each package contains product information on the front and back, a product sticker with a photo, and an authenticity hologram. A missing or incorrectly placed element means a rejectable package and, if it passes the line unnoticed, a risk of complaints, returns, and reputational damage.
The situation was extra challenging: the existing packaging line was replaced and rebuilt, with the old camera system having to make way for a new inspection solution that had to fit seamlessly into the new line and the machine builder's control system. In addition, the customer works with approximately 70 different packaging layouts, each with a varying amount of text. Manual control of so many variants, at production speed, is labor-intensive and error-prone.
Specifically, the system had to evaluate multiple characteristics per packaging: the presence of text in the correct box on both the front and back, the presence and position of the product sticker with photo on the front, and the presence and position of the hologram. In addition, the inspection had to be able to be switched on and off per characteristic and easily reconfigured for each new batch, without requiring specialized knowledge from the operator.
The solution
Vision Partners supplied a turnkey machine vision inspection system that is integrated into the new packaging line and communicates with the machine builder's PLC. Three industrial area-scan cameras capture the relevant sides of each package, triggered by the higher-level system. Homogeneous LED lighting ensures stable, reproducible images—the basis for reliable inspection. A Vicosys vision processor analyzes the images and determines the pass/fail status for each package.
The system operates on a teach-in principle: when starting up a new batch, the operator defines the inspection criteria for that specific layout. Search areas for text and the detection of stickers, photos, and holograms are set per feature and can be individually enabled or disabled. This keeps the system manageable across all approximately 70 variants, without any programming work. When a deviation is detected, the system immediately sends a rejection signal to the packaging machine's PLC, which ejects the package in question.
Architecture in pictures
The host system triggers the recording; under homogeneous LED lighting, the cameras capture the packaging and send the images via Ethernet to the Vicosys vision processor. It evaluates text, sticker, photo, and hologram—each feature can be enabled or disabled individually—and passes the result to the HMI and the logging database. In the event of a rejection, a signal is sent directly via the Moxa I/O to the PLC of the packaging machine, which ejects the packaging with an adjustable stroke delay.
The result
The system was tested on-site via a Site Acceptance Test (SAT) and met the specified requirements: every trigger consistently produced one inspection result at the correct position, the HMI correctly displays the number of good and rejected products, the detection of holograms and photos can be enabled and disabled as desired, and upon rejection, a signal is immediately sent to the packaging machine's PLC. Following the test, the system was handed over to the operators through a training and commissioning phase and delivered ready for production.
Vision Partners handled the entire process turn-key: development of the solution, reprogramming of the vision software, assembly of the control cabinet, disassembly of the old camera system, integration into the new line, and commissioning. The system was tested with the machine builder during the Factory Acceptance Test and subsequently finalized on-site via the SAT, in close cooperation with the customer and the machine builder involved. For rapid remote support, secure access is available, exclusively after approval by the customer.
“The transition to the new vision system went smoothly and according to schedule. The system reliably checks all packaging layouts and operators are learning to set up a new batch independently. A great turn-key solution that does exactly what we needed — and ensures the quality of every package.”
— Client Project Manager
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