Company also will showcase a high-speed serialization station for bottles of various shapes and sizes; a versatile unit for in-depth manual inspection of a wide range of containers; and an adjustable station for streamlined case aggregation.
Antares Vision Group – a technological partner in the digitalization of products and supply chains for companies and institutions, and a leader in traceability and inspection for quality control – will offer live demonstrations of a high-speed system providing 100% inspection and leak detection for liquid-filled glass containers at INTERPHEX NYC, April 1-3 in New York. At its Booth #2821, Antares Vision Group also will showcase a high-speed serialization station for bottles of various shapes and sizes; a manual station suitable for a wide range of containers; and a standalone module for semi-automatic case aggregation.
Across Antares Vision Group’s core strengths of traceability and inspection, the solutions highlighted at INTERPHEX share several commonalities. Perhaps most prominently, each can be deployed as integrated modules into existing production environments, an inherent agnosticism that substantially simplifies incorporation. Concerning traceability specifically, the company’s ultra-secure cloud-based systems enable end-to-end “full stack” connection of the physical and digital worlds, from Levels 1 through 5.
High-speed Visual Inspection & Leak Detection for Liquid-filled Glass Containers
Antares Vision Group’s automatic Visual Rotating Inspection (VRI) system is capable of inspecting up to 400 liquid-filled glass containers per minute. The machine combines sophisticated particle and cosmetic detection that can integrate with high voltage, vacuum, and headspace gas analysis (HSGA) technology-driven closure integrity verification at an exceptionally rapid production pace.
The VRI allows for the precise detection of cosmetic defects and particles, and also checks fill levels. It can inspect liquids presenting in a wide variety of viscosities, including water-like, oily, suspension, gel, emulsion, lyophilized, and powder products. Vials are also inspected for cosmetic defects such as crimping quality, flip-off color, neck-shoulder sidewalls, and stopper position. Molded glass and plastic containers also can be inspected for particles and cosmetic defects.
A split-infeed screw setup provides smooth and reliable operation, preventing undesired stops and restarts. A main floating carousel with a torque motor-driven inspection platform allows ideal cleanability and single-point product handling (from the neck), providing a constraint-free optical setup and improving detection capabilities through enhanced Field of View (FOV) and Depth of Field (DOF). Optional add-on features include code verification, optical character recognition (OCR)-optical character verification (OCR-OCV), and serialization incorporation.
Versatile Automated Serialization Solution for Bottles
Antares Vision Group’s recently introduced Omnivision Bottle Serialization Station offers seamless traceability for round, square or rectangular bottles commonly used in healthcare applications. Capable of handling a wide range of container shapes and sizes at speeds up to 300 per minute, the Omnivision can print unique helper codes on the top or bottom of each bottle, then perform a 360-degree reading of the unoriented bottle surface for recognition of printed serialized data and code association. This unique helper code is then used for subsequent manual or automatic aggregation phases, such as bundling or case packing. The system's seamless product handling ensures superior printing quality, and a lateral belt system provides bottle separation. Optional topsert inspection is available.
Manual Visual Inspection for Any Container Size
Also at INTERPHEX, Antares Vision Group will feature the Easy TB, ideal for the manual visual inspection of small batches - or to help trend and characterize potential defects in combination with semi-automated or fully automated systems. Capable of handling containers up to 52mm in diameter, 110mm tall and with volumes up to 100ml, the flexible unit – so-named for its simple, tool-free format change in under a minute – is suitable for inspecting a wide array of vials, bottles, cartridges, ampoules and prefilled syringes.
To operate the Easy TB, an operator utilizes a bottom plate to load a container, which is held in firm position by an adjustable top tailstock. The module's inspection features include an advanced lens with adjustable positioning; various lighting position and intensity options (bottom, back, combination, etc.); a PLC-based system to manage bottom plate spinning speed; black and white backgrounds; and a sliding mask for configuring optimal visual inspection conditions.
Versatile Module for Off-Line Semi-Automatic Aggregation
The Top View Matrix Station aggregates cartons to a specific shipping case and prints unique shipping labels. Suitable for carton/bottle-to-case or bundle-to-case aggregation, the module’s signature feature is a 19.6”x11.8” top-view reading window, which employs cameras that automatically adjust to reading additional layers for faster throughput. The unit alerts operators to incorrect or already-picked barcodes and other defects to ensure a higher quality process, and an intuitive touch screen interface allows personnel to quickly change product and shipping information to accommodate customer orders. Semi-automatic operation gives warehouse and distribution operations the ability to cost-effectively go beyond the throughput limitations of manual loading and aggregation.
