Testing: Offline Optical Inspection System Detects Color Deviations of Plastic Pellets

A new offline optical offline inspection system from Silkora AG (U.S. office in Beverly, Mass.) which automatically detects small amounts of pellets will be featured by the company at K 2019. Purity Concept V is specially suited for use in quality assurance of incoming goods inspection, production control and follow-up inspection. The system reportedly detects reliably contamination such as black specks, and since it is equipped with a color camera, color deviations of the pellets are detected as well.

For sample inspection and analysis with this new unit, up to 3,000 pellets (100 g) placed on a sample tray are moved through the inspection area. Within seconds, a camera inspects the material, contaminated pellets are detected and analyzed. The detected contamination is highlighted in color on the monitor image as well as on the sample tray. The Purity Concept V contains a CMOS line color camera with a resolution of 50 µm. In combination with a long-life white LED light, it enables the recording of a high-resolution image of the inspected sample material. 

In addition to “classic” black specks, the smallest color deviations are also detected. For this, adaptive detection algorithms analyze the inspected material. For example, color deviations due to cross contamination are optionally displayed and evaluated on the monitor. This way, the operator receives both information about number, area and size and findings about the color spectrum of the inspected sample.