Pellet Seam Detection and Rotation for Marking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current conveyor and processing systems for pellet-shaped articles, such as softgel capsules, face challenges in accurately detecting and avoiding defects and seams during marking processes, leading to potential contamination and product degradation due to inconsistent seam weakening and inadequate quality control.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a conveyor system, inspection units, and article contacting devices that determine the position of the seam on each pellet-shaped article and manipulate it to avoid marking the seam, using a controller to instruct processing units and ejection systems to direct acceptable or defective articles into separate bins based on seam and indicia positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If marking is performed on the topmost exposed portion of pellet-shaped articles, then the marking process can be completed efficiently, but the seam may be positioned within the marking area causing the indicia to be printed or lasered on the seam which weakens the seam structure
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary inspection to detect the seam position on each pellet-shaped article before the marking process. By identifying the seam location in advance, the system can determine the optimal rotation angle needed to position the seam away from the intended marking area, thus preventing seam weakening while maintaining marking efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the rotation angle of each pellet-shaped article based on real-time seam position detection. The controller modifies the orientation of individual articles during the conveying process to ensure the seam is positioned outside the marking boundary, allowing efficient marking while preserving seam integrity
2Device complexity
If the seam position is not monitored during marking, then the processing system operates simply and quickly, but the indicia may overlap with seams causing product quality degradation and potential contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a feedback loop where the inspection unit continuously monitors seam positions on pellet-shaped articles, and the controller uses this information to adjust the rotation angle of each article before marking. This closed-loop control ensures high product quality by preventing indicia overlap with seams while maintaining operational efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical positioning mechanisms with an optical inspection and computational control system. Instead of using mechanical devices to physically position articles, the system uses image processing to detect seam locations and calculates the appropriate rotation angles, simplifying the mechanical complexity while improving reliability
3Productivity
If all pellet-shaped articles are processed without individual inspection, then the throughput remains high, but defective articles with exposed flaws may be marked causing contamination and product loss
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality control by inspecting each pellet-shaped article individually for seam position and potential defects rather than treating all articles uniformly. This targeted inspection approach identifies articles that require special handling or rejection, preventing contamination from defective articles while maintaining high throughput of quality articles
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and identifies defective articles with exposed flaws or improperly positioned seams from the bulk flow of pellet-shaped articles. By separating these defective items through individual inspection and controlled ejection, the system prevents them from entering the marking process and causing contamination, while maintaining high productivity for the majority of acceptable articles
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for identifying and averting exposed pellet-shaped article defects, deviations, and inclusions are disclosed. A vision system may be capable of identifying flaws/inclusions/defects/deviations affecting the exterior and/or interior of pellet-shaped articles via Ultra-Violet Light to instigate long-wave visible and Infra-red fluorescence. The UV Light and section of the visible spectrum not encompassing the instigated fluorescence may be removed with an optical filter so a camera can capture an image of discrete flaws/inclusions/defects/deviations. The vision system may send decision-signals to a mechanism to manipulate individual pellet-shaped articles. For example, a scam between halves of softgels may be rotated by an actuator having contact point(s) to hold a portion of the softgel stationary while a conveyer moves beneath causing rotation of the seam. This process may be performed prior to laser etching, printing, and/or drilling of pellet-shaped articles to reduce the number of pellet-shaped articles marked/printed/drilled on undesired surfaces.