Visual Inspection Assembly Line for Item Orientation Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of complex products, such as pharmaceutical packaging, is prone to errors that can lead to lost revenue, customer complaints, and regulatory issues due to improper packaging, particularly affecting parenteral pharmaceutical products.
Innovation Solution
An assembly line system with a conveyor belt and multiple cameras that analyze the presence, orientation, and number of items using optical character recognition to ensure accurate assembly by adjusting the conveyor belt position based on image analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual assembly is used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and reliability deteriorate due to assembly errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical assembly with an automated system that uses optical imaging (cameras) and image processing to detect item presence and orientation, then uses robotic or automated mechanisms to place items correctly. This substitution of human manual operations with automated sensing and actuation systems resolves the contradiction by achieving high precision assembly while managing system complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates an optical copy (image) of the assembly area to analyze item presence and orientation without physically interfering with the assembly process. The camera captures the state of the product, and this visual information is processed to determine corrective actions. This copying approach enables precision control while keeping the physical assembly system relatively simple.
2Productivity
If automated assembly is implemented, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases due to multiple cameras and processing systems
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system is designed to perform multiple functions: capturing images for item presence detection, determining item orientation, and providing feedback for automated correction. By making the inspection system multi-functional, the patent increases productivity through comprehensive monitoring while avoiding the need for separate dedicated systems for each function, thereby managing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the inspection and control functions into an integrated system where the camera, image processing, and automated correction mechanisms work as a unified whole. This merging of functions enables high-speed automated assembly with improved productivity while managing complexity through system integration rather than through multiple separate systems.
3Reliability
If multiple inspection stages are added, then reliability improves, but loss of time increases due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process operates continuously as items move along the assembly line, with cameras capturing images and processing occurring in real-time without stopping the assembly flow. This continuous operation maintains high reliability through ongoing monitoring while minimizing time loss by eliminating discrete inspection stops and enabling seamless integration into the production rhythm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection and analysis of item presence and orientation before final assembly is complete, allowing corrective actions to be taken proactively. By detecting potential errors early in the process and addressing them immediately, the system ensures high reliability while minimizing the time required for rework or corrective measures.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for obtaining a first image of a tray, determining a presence or absence of one or more first patterns in the first image, determining a rotation of each the one or more first patterns in the first image, and performing an action based on the presence or absence and the rotation of the one or more first patterns in the first image.