So many labels, so little time…just use Checker

Cognex: OTE Group based in the Netherlands, produce and export special hydrating, cleaning and lubricating fluids for the lens care market. As well as their own three product lines they deliver more than 1000 private labels to customers with their own brands. Delivering the finished products all over the world, they need to be sure that all bottles reach their destinations in perfect condition and in good time.

In addition, OTE face the strict requirements of the medical and pharmaceutical industry. Previously, quality control was assured manually by the naked eye. But when faced with the challenge of boosting their quality the company decided to use the Cognex Checker to ensure that the production code is present and also to check if the label is on the bottle. Using Checker ensures that quality control is improved meaning better traceability and faster more reliable production. OTE Group maintain high quality standards conforming to ISO standards for filling and manufacturing and so they cannot afford to take chances.

Checker – reliable part detection even on high speed production lines
Cognex vision sensors are the simple and affordable solution for verifying the presence of product and packaging features. Essentially a versatile "multi-sensor", a single Checker detects features that would require multiple photoelectric sensors, or may not be within the capability of photo-electrics.

Netherlands based Cognex partner, Digitron, provided OTE with the vision sensor solution necessary to solve their application. Three Checkers were installed on their packaging line. Here the Checkers perform the tasks of checking for the presence of a code printed on the bottom of each bottle and simultaneously check for the presence of the label. Firstly, Checker is used to detect the presence of a code by checking for the print on the bottom of the bottle. If a code is missing the line is stopped.

2500 labels and many different customers
OTE have over 2500 different labels for many different customers. They need to be sure that the right labels are present on each bottle. For this second application Checker is used to detect the presence of the label. For round bottles one Checker is used to detect the presence of the label. For bottles of other dimensions, two Checkers are used. Labels are “taught” at the input and then an external trigger uses the reflection of light to detect its presence.

Guarantee your customers 100% quality inspection
Checker has given OTE peace of mind with a 100% reliable inspection of each bottle – both their codes and labels. Before this they relied on random sampling but this is not enough to satisfy the strict requirements of their customers from the medical and pharmaceutical industry.

About Cognex
Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets machine vision sensors and systems, or devices that can "see." Cognex vision sensors are used in factories around the world to automate the manufacture of a wide range of items and to assure their quality. Cognex is the world's leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped more than 450,000 machine vision systems, representing over $2,5 billion in cumulative revenue, since the company's founding in 1981. In addition to its corporate headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, Cognex also has regional offices and distributors located throughout North America, Japan, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Visit Cognex on-line at http://www.cognex.com.