Ultraviolet Fluorescence Inspection for Unit Dose Pouch Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-speed production lines for consumer products, such as unit dose pouches, face inefficiencies in manual or digital inspection, leading to potential defects and leakage issues that can result in contaminated batches and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A machine vision method and apparatus integrating a platen with imaging and actinic radiation-emitting sources to detect leakage in unit dose pouches during manufacturing, utilizing a photoactive compound responsive to actinic radiation for efficient quality assurance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual or digital inspection is performed on every single product at the end of the production line, then quality standards can be maintained, but the inspection process becomes time-consuming and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual inspection with an automated optical inspection system that uses a camera to capture images of pouches on the platen. The system substitutes human visual inspection with machine vision technology, enabling automatic detection of defects while maintaining high-speed production capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection is performed at an intermediate stage during the manufacturing process, before the pouches complete the entire production line. By inspecting pouches while they are still on the platen in the converting apparatus, the system enables early detection of defects, allowing for timely intervention before faulty products proceed further into production.
2Productivity
If sampling inspection is performed, then inspection speed is improved, but faulty products may escape detection until too late
Solution Approach 1:
The automated optical inspection system replaces sampling-based manual inspection with continuous automated monitoring. The camera captures images of all pouches produced, enabling 100% inspection rather than sampling, thereby maintaining both high speed and comprehensive defect detection coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection process operates continuously throughout production, with the camera continuously capturing images of pouches as they are formed on the platen. This continuous monitoring ensures that every pouch is inspected without interruption, eliminating the gaps inherent in sampling methods while maintaining high production speed.
3Productivity
If high-speed production is maintained, then output and cost efficiency are improved, but leakage defects may go undetected causing contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs leakage detection at an early intermediate stage during pouch formation on the platen, before pouches complete the entire production process. This preliminary detection allows identification of leakage defects while maintaining high-speed production, preventing contaminated pouches from proceeding further and potentially contaminating other products.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical inspection system provides automated leakage detection that operates at high speeds compatible with modern production lines. The camera-based system can rapidly capture and analyze images of multiple pouches simultaneously, maintaining production output while enabling thorough leakage inspection that manual methods cannot achieve at the same speed.
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 fast and thorough inspection of unit dose pouches, preventing defective products from entering the market by detecting leaks in real-time and automatically ejecting faulty pouches from the production line.
Implementation Method 1
The composition comprises a photoactive compound that is responsive to actinic radiation. At least one of the plurality of platen edges is exposed to the actinic radiation-emitting source. Actinic radiation emitted from the photoactive compound, if present on the at least one of the plurality of platen edges, is detected.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and a method for detecting leakage from a composition-containing pouch during the high-speed manufacturing process. The apparatus comprises: a platen comprising a pouch cavity and a plurality of platen edges adjacent to the cavity; an image capturing unit; an image processing unit; and ultraviolet-light emitting source. The composition itself comprises a fluorescent whitening compound. The ultra-violet emitting light source is arranged to illuminate the cavity and plurality of platen edges. The image capturing unit is arranged to capture an image of the illuminated cavity and plurality of platen edges. The image capturing unit is communicably attached to the image processing unit.