Even just a small cap defect can have drastic knock-on consequences for the beverage production line. This causes the producer to lose time and money tracking down the origin of the fault in machines that may have as many as 48, 72 or 96 cavities. Big problems, then, for the bottler and the seller, who can end up with entire lots being returned by unsatisfied customers.
Today, thanks to Sacmi research, the market can now take advantage of an important innovation that completes the Group’s already extensive range of inspection systems. Called “Cavity Recognition”, this system can inspect the inside of the caps, each of which is identified by the number of the relevant mould– or, rather, cavity – that produced it.
Firstly, data on the quantity of caps made by the machine is provided. Then, there is detection not only of the defects but also their exact location of origin, thus allowing the operator to home in on the individual cavity or cavity set that caused the problem.
Speed of intervention and exact localisation of fault origin are two advantages that blend perfectly with other, more generalised, solutions implemented by Sacmi to enhance the reliability of the system. For example, the “font” - the character with which the mould number is written – is now irrelevant. This is no small question, in that many commercially available systems will only recognise characters of predetermined size and type and only if located in certain areas of the object.
Sacmi-designed Cavity Recognition, instead, is a completely ‘self-learning’ system when it comes to character identification, while the position of the number – like the presence of other nearby elements – makes no difference at all. Another technical bonus is the system’s capacity to handle caps of any colour, thus enhancing reliability even further.
Yet “Cavity Recognition” functions don’t end here. The system can also be used to sort a specific set of caps according to their ID numbers: a particularly relevant function, then, especially where combined with other Sacmi-supplied control systems. Used in concert with them, Cavity Recognition represents a breakthrough towards the achievement of fully comprehensive quality control in this industry. The result is direct on-line monitoring of 100% of output and the provision of accurate reports on both defects and overall plant performance.