LED Inspection System for Food Quality Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing inspection systems for food products struggle to detect partial defects and foreign bodies efficiently, as they typically illuminate the entire product, diluting defect presence and requiring multiple analyses, which increases costs and wastage.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a lighting device with LEDs to illuminate a narrow line of the product as it moves on a conveyance belt, synchronized with a linear camera to capture images of the light sequence, allowing for precise detection of defects and foreign bodies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the entire product is illuminated, then the system can detect overall product quality, but partial defects are diluted and cannot be detected precisely
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is segmented into multiple independent LED modules that can be activated individually. Each LED module illuminates a specific narrow line on the product, allowing the system to examine different regions of the product separately. This segmentation enables precise detection of partial defects by focusing light on specific areas rather than illuminating the entire product uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality illumination by activating only the LED modules corresponding to the specific region where a defect is suspected or needs examination. Each LED module provides localized illumination with controlled intensity and spectrum, allowing the camera to capture detailed images of specific product regions. This local illumination approach enhances the detection of partial defects such as remnants of leaves or pits in chopped fruits and vegetables.
2Productivity
If multiple linear cameras are used to analyze product flow, then coverage is improved, but detection efficiency remains low and process cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple LED modules into a single integrated lighting device that can be controlled as one unit. The lighting device includes multiple LEDs arranged to illuminate different lines on the product, and all LEDs can be activated simultaneously or individually through a single control system. This merging reduces the complexity compared to using multiple separate lighting systems and cameras, while maintaining high detection efficiency through coordinated illumination and imaging.
3Speed
If the product is illuminated completely, then the system can detect overall quality, but the acquisition speed is low and the system is localized
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system is made dynamic by enabling real-time switching between different LED modules based on the position of the product on the conveyance means. As the product moves through the inspection area, the system can dynamically activate or deactivate specific LED modules to maintain optimal illumination on the current region of interest. This dynamic illumination control allows the system to achieve high acquisition speeds while maintaining complete quality analysis by sequentially examining different product regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick and accurate analysis of product quality by focusing on a narrow area, improving defect detection efficiency and reducing the need for multiple analyses, thereby lowering costs and minimizing wastage.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting device (3) consisting of LEDs (4) that emit a light sequence directed towards the inspection area (5), so that the beam of light emitted by the LEDs (4) lights up the product (2) to be inspected by transmission
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an inspection system for quality analysis of a food product, comprising a conveyor for moving it to an inspection area, a lighting device consisting of LEDs that emit a light sequence directed towards the inspection area to light up the product by transmission, a linear camera with at least one line of pixels for collecting a plurality of images in each light sequence of the lighting device, and a focusing member for focusing the beam emitted by the lighting device. Advantageously, the lighting device is activated in a pulsed manner, generating a light sequence with at least two different illuminations, at least one of which is a transmission-pulsed illumination. The lighting device is aligned on the axis formed by the product to be inspected and the linear camera.