360-Degree Optical Inspection of Lyophilized Beads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual visual inspection of lyophilized beads is inefficient and costly, with limited detection capabilities and high labor costs, and existing automated systems are complex and prone to blind spots.
Innovation Solution
A visual inspection system utilizing a processor, rotation stage, adaptor, light source, telecentric lens, and image sensor to rotate and capture 360-degree images of lyophilized beads, enabling three-dimensional imaging and defect detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual visual inspection is used for lyophilized beads, then human operators can detect defects with the human eye, but the detection capability is limited to particles up to 150 μm with only 70% PoD and the inspection is inefficient with high labor cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical inspection system (human eye and hand operation) with an automated optical inspection system comprising a rotation stage, telecentric lens, and image sensor. This substitution enables continuous automated imaging of rotating beads with high-resolution cameras, achieving both superior detection capability (detecting defects down to micrometer scale) and high productivity (automated continuous inspection without human labor constraints).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic rotation of the lyophilized beads on a rotation stage during inspection. By rotating the beads continuously while capturing images from a fixed lateral viewpoint, the system dynamically inspects all surfaces of each bead over time. This dynamic approach enables complete 360-degree coverage without requiring multiple static cameras, achieving high detection capability and productivity simultaneously.
2Reliability
If multiple image sensors are arranged around the lyophilized bead to capture images from different angles, then complete inspection coverage can be achieved, but the system configuration becomes complex and construction cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple static image sensors arranged around the bead (which would increase system complexity), the patent employs a single lateral image sensor combined with dynamic rotation of the bead on a rotation stage. This dynamic approach achieves complete 360-degree inspection coverage by capturing sequential images at different rotational positions, significantly simplifying the system configuration while maintaining reliable comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds the time dimension to the inspection process by rotating the bead during image capture. Rather than arranging sensors in three-dimensional space around the bead, the system uses a single lateral viewpoint combined with rotational movement through time, effectively transforming a spatial multi-sensor problem into a temporal single-sensor solution that reduces complexity.
3Device complexity
If a single lateral image sensor is used to inspect rotating lyophilized beads, then the system configuration is simplified and construction cost is reduced, but inspection coverage might be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent successfully resolves this contradiction by implementing continuous rotation of the lyophilized beads on a rotation stage while the single lateral image sensor captures images at different rotational positions. This dynamic approach ensures that over one complete rotation cycle, every surface of every bead is visible to the lateral sensor, achieving complete inspection coverage despite using only a single sensor with a fixed lateral viewpoint.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous rotation of the beads during the entire inspection process, ensuring that the useful action of image capture occurs continuously as beads pass through the field of view. This continuous rotational motion ensures no surface is missed, achieving complete coverage while keeping the system configuration simple with a single lateral sensor.
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
The system provides efficient, cost-effective, and accurate automated inspection with reduced blind spots, improving imaging efficiency and reducing construction and maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
The light source is located at a lateral side of the lyophilized bead for emitting lights to illuminate the lyophilized bead
Implementation Method 2
The telecentric lens is located at the lateral side of the lyophilized bead together with the light source for imaging the lyophilized bead
Data Source
AI summary
A visual inspection system includes a processor, a rotation stage, an adaptor, a light source, a telecentric lens and an image sensor. The adaptor is connected to the rotation stage and located under the rotation stage for positioning the lyophilized bead. The light source is located at a lateral side of the lyophilized bead for emitting lights to illuminate the lyophilized bead. The telecentric lens is located at the lateral side of the lyophilized bead for imaging the lyophilized bead. The image sensor is located at a lateral side of the telecentric lens opposite to the lyophilized bead for capturing images of the lyophilized bead. The rotation stage drives the lyophilized bead to rotate 360 degrees as performing an inspection of the lyophilized bead, and the image sensor continuously captures images of the lyophilized bead at different angles, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image of the lyophilized bead for the inspection.