New Automated Inspection Machine Offers Artificial Intelligence to the Food & Drink Industry

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) has launched a new automated inspection and rejection machine that provides critical quality checks after the final packing process has been completed. The IVS-LAMi-P utilises state-of-the-art artificial intelligence machine vision technology, providing the user with automated high-speed and critical inspection tasks checking packs, labels, seal, print, size, defect and overall product quality.

Designed for ease of set-up and quick product changeover, the IVS-LAMi-P will automatically reject bad products which, in turn, reduces customer fines and enhances the bottom-line of a business. This also ensures a high level of quality leaves the factory floor from manufacturers representing the food and drink industry. The machine also comes with various options to suit the customer. This includes physical or air reject options; an optional link to scanners and factory information systems; the machines can also be custom designed to suit a business’s specific production needs.

Packaging Inspection Vision Inspection Machine

With optional multi vision sensors the machine can provide adaptable inspection from all sides of the product reducing the need for manual inspection providing a guarantee of product quality being delivered to customers.

The IVS-LAMi-P will fully inspect dates and codes; package size measurements; label placement and alignment; film colour verification; and print quality inspection. In addition, the machine also provides 1D and 2D code checking and saves both HD photos of rejected items along with statistical shift data and information for future reference.

The IVS-LAMi-P machine is fully designed to increase the bottom-line of a business by reducing customer fines and enhancing the quality of products leaving the factory floors, IVS have taken the very latest in AI technology and made it readily useable. Available to manufacturers in key industries such as food, drink, printing and packaging the machines have been developed with the very latest vision technology to replace human inspectors at the end of line. Quality control can now be fully automated given peace of mind to food producers. IVS are committed to continuously delivering products and services of the highest quality and greatest value to our customers which they can, in turn, pass on to their own customer-base.

Further details on the product can be found at: www.industrialvision.co.uk/products/packaging-label-inspection-machine

Industrial Vision Systems Relocates To Fulfil Ambitious Expansion Plans

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) have relocated into a new facility – custom designed to its own specification – in order to fulfil its ambitious expansion plans. Having grown significantly over the course of the past sixteen years, Industrial Vision Systems has now made the move to its brand new 10,000 sq ft premises at the prestigious Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire which will allow it to grow further and capitalise on new, emerging markets.

The relocation presents a new phase of business for IVS. The company is fully expecting year on year double digit growth in machine vision and robotics on the manufacturing floor over the next decade. The company has identified that Industry 4.0, flexible manufacturing and replacing unskilled labour are all key drivers in this expanding industrial sector. Therefore, IVS finds itself in the perfect position to capitalise on these emerging markets with a solid business foundation, high engineering expertise, and now increased engineering resource for the anticipated high demand.

The Harwell Science and Innovation Campus (www.harwellcampus.com) is one of the most advanced and active innovation communities in Europe, located just South of Oxford and only forty-five minutes from Heathrow Airport. IVS finds itself in good company, located close to the European Space Agency, Diamond Light Source and RAL Space, the overall campus hosts an array of over £1 billion of world leading research infrastructure. At the core of Harwell is collaboration. Its occupants and visitors have access to world-class engineering and scientific facilities, leading-edge research and an exceptional talent pool.

Industrial Vision Systems Ltd Premises

The new IVS facility features state of the art engineering offices, research and development areas, dedicated sales office and training rooms in addition to the production floor, breakout areas and administration. IVS has also invested in new demonstration equipment including collaborative robots, automated inspection test rigs and vision inspection machinery demonstrations, all of which will be available to view in the company’s new demonstration facility.

Industrial Vision Systems is also expanding into the supply of dedicated inspection machines in the key vertical markets it represents such as automotive, medical devices, electronics, food and packaging. These new machines have been designed for high levels automated visual inspection to enhance quality control. The growth and investment in this area will happen in tandem with the company’s traditional machine vision system supply and integration.

IVS Showcase Latest HD Machine Vision Cameras At The PPMA Show

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems successfully exhibited at the PPMA Total Show at the NEC in September. The event showcased the latest developments in the IVS inspection portfolio, including the next generation retro-fit inspection systems for printing, packaging and food inspection.

The live demonstration presented the new IVS high definition machine vision camera units designed specifically for the food industry, combined with new high power LED lighting for higher speed production lines. The latest IVS stainless steel vision control panels utilise an ultra-high resolution HMI display to allow factory statistics and information to be displayed alongside the current vision inspection results.

Industrial Vision Systems at the PPMA Show
Machine Vision Cameras

New Automated Inspection Cell Enhances Quality Checks for the Automotive Industry

Posted on

Launched by Industrial Visions Systems the IVS-ELCi removes human error and completely inspects final vehicles for conformance

Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) (www.industrialvision.co.uk), a supplier of machine vision solutions to the automotive industry, has introduced its new end of line automated car inspection and conformance cell – the IVS-ELCi. The new product will enable automotive manufacturers to automate repetitive and critical inspection tasks covering entire vehicles which, in turn, will free operators from more mundane tasks allowing them to focus on other areas of the business. The system has been developed due to the ever increasing diversity of options available in modern vehicle production.

Using up to 50 sensors for a complete 360-degree check of every vehicle, the IVS-ELCi also automatically saves images and data which provides evidence for the manufacturer protecting them against potential recalls or warranty claims. The quick to install cell with swift set-up uses adaptable artificial intelligence vision sensors which provide critical quality inspection criteria across the entire vehicle build cycle.

Crucially, the IVS-ELCi inspects at high speed with precision detail which means operators are then freed up to add value to other stages of the automotive inspection and production process. Typical applications of the machine include exhaust type confirmation, licence plate variants, vehicle decals, logos, alloy wheels, door handles, mirror scalps and trim match. The product provides a 100% guaranteed final quality check before every car leaves the factory floor.

“Having highly accurate information and added peace of mind in the final vehicle acceptance stages is a primary concern for every manufacturer operating in the automotive industry. The IVS-ELCi system allows manufacturers to rest assured in the knowledge that quality control is being handled accurately and automatically utilising the very latest in cutting edge machine vision technology. This enables their employees to step away from the inspection tasks to focus on other elements of the production process which will eventually improve the overall performance of the business.”

Further details on the product can be found at: https://www.industrialvision.co.uk/products/car-conformance-inspection

Launch Of In-Process Vision Inspection Machines for the Medical Device Industry

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) a supplier of machine vision solutions to industry, has introduced its new In-Process Vision Inspection Machine (IVS-INPi-M). Using latest generation artificial intelligence vision system technology, the IVS-INPi-M machine will now provide medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers with enhanced automated quality assurance.

Designed for use after the assembly and build processes, the IVS-INPi-M features conveyor in-feed, as well as multiple axis and integrated reject for optimal quality control checks. The system provides high-speed, high definition inspection from multiple angles at micron level through adaptable vision sensors, allowing full automatic quality control as part of the in-line build process. Typical applications include end of line pack checks, assembly conformance, medical device body inspection and rogue part detection.

Created with versatility in mind, the IVS-INPi-M can also stand alone as an autonomous inspection solution. Easy to program, with swift set up, the IVS-INPi-M is highly accurate and provides peace of mind for in-process assembly inspection operations. The machine can also be adapted to suit particular production environments and line build requirements.

Largely maintenance free, the inspection machine is operated via a touch screen, with the ability for automated and rapid product changes without operator intervention. In addition the system stores and records HD images of every product manufactured combined with all statistical process control data. The machine is provided fully validated to GAMP, ISPE and FDA regulations.

Further details on the product can be found at:

https://www.industrialvision.co.uk/products/in-process-vision-inspection-machine-ivs-inpi-m

In-Process Automated Inspection

IVS Ships New PCB Conformal Coat Inspection Machines

Posted on

Two new PCB conformal coat machines (IVS-PCBi-C) have shipped today to our prestigious blue-chip electronics manufacturer. The machines are the latest in a series of machines designed for precision inspection on PCB products for the customer. IVS automated optical inspection machines are designed for integration directly in-line providing mission critical quality checks of PCB UV conformal coat position, size, spread and intensity. The machine also provides full statistical process control and reporting direct to the factory information system for continued analysis of the PCB production quality.

Industrial Vision Systems Launches New Website And A Host Of New Products

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems (IVS) a supplier of machine vision systems to industry, has launched its new website (www.industrialvision.co.uk) along with a series of automated inspection products and machines. The company, which provides vision systems to blue chip clients in manufacturing sectors such as automotive, medical devices, electronics and packaging, comes with improved functionality, design, and navigation.

The series of new products, to be launched throughout the second half of 2016, enhances IVS’s reputation as a pioneer in the production of automated inspection machines utilising the very latest vision technology. The company already boasts affordable, precision inspection vision systems in addition to robot inspection cells to aid such processes. The launch of IVS’s new vision products and machines is set to provide further state-of-the-art quality control checks of medical devices and precise automotive component build quality inspection.

In addition to the on-going launch of its new products, IVS has also ensured each item comes with a comprehensive datasheet providing visitors with product images, dimensions and product benefits. The company is also previewing each of the new products across its YouTube and Instagram channels. One such product is the new IVS-VINi VIN/Scribe Inspection System; a highly flexible complete inspection vision sensor system utilising state-of-the-art artificial intelligence for quality control checks on identification numbers, print, patterns and markings.

The new website is designed specifically to enhance the journey of IVS clients. The new features on the site mean that customers can now benefit from richer online content that is easier to navigate and share with others, assisting the specification process. This is a result of talking with and listening to clients, partners and distributors who all provided valuable feedback. The product datasheets come loaded in content and imagery providing the user with the specifics they need about the new IVS vision products and machines.

Industrial Vision Systems Provides Vision Systems For Collaborative Robots To Aid Productivity

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems Ltd (IVS) is now providing vision systems for collaborative robots enhancing its productivity. This new generation of affordable lightweight robots is unlocking new markets and applications as they work side by side with human workers, increasing labour and total factor productivity and eliminating the need for costly precision fixtures allowing different parts to be processed and inspected without changing tools.

Robot Vision Set-Up

By using UR3, UR5, and UR10 model robots from Denmark’s Universal Robots, one of the earliest manufacturers of co-bots, IVS, whose vision systems can be integrated with all major robot manufacturers and control systems, utilises the robots for the inspection of complex components as well as providing positioning feedback to the robot. The UR3 is a smaller table-top robot that can be used to provide camera inspection on multiple sides of complex parts and components, allowing precision automated inspection.

IVS is also using the robots to help assist human workers with inspection processes, which relieves them of more commonplace work meaning they are typically redeployed to higher value tasks that robots cannot do. In the future inspection benches will include space for an operator and a robot to work in partnership as part of the quality control process of production.

Robot Vision System

New automated inspection machines launched for medical device products

Posted on

Industrial Vision Systems Ltd (IVS) has launched a number of new machines and systems which are now available for automated inspection of medical device products. The automated medical device inspection systems, which utilise machine vision, are supplied to various high-profile blue-chip medical device manufacturers for the programmed checking of components, sub-assemblies and packs.

Utilising a customisable dial plate which can be modified to suit varying sizes and shapes of parts, the Industrial Vision System machines use the latest generation IVS HD digital camera technology with telecentric optics to provide high speed inspection of medical device products at up to 300 parts per minute. The machines can accommodate up to six inspection camera stations each utilising different light and optics for varying quality checks. An integrated hopper and bowl supplies continuous feeding of parts allowing the vision system to provide 24/7 continuous inspection. Typical applications include inspecting for micron level mould defects in flash and shorts, checking key dimensional data on parts, syringe body inspection for inclusions, needle tip verification and measurement, plus medical device sub-assembly checks. The vision system includes integration with factory information systems and line controllers.

IVS Medical Device Inspection System

All machines, installed and commissioned by Industrial Vision Systems, are fully validated to GAMP/ISPE protocols for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

North American vision system market off to solid start in 2015

Posted on

Good news from North America this week; total sales of machine vision systems and components saw 22% year-over-year growth in the first quarter of 2015, the highest first quarter total since the Automated Imaging Association (AIA) began recording statistics in the market. We are already seeing the ripples of this growth felt on UK shores over the last weeks and months.

In 2014, the North American vision market also experienced the best year since the AIA began recording statistics back in 2009. With 15.3% overall industry growth projected for 2015, representing a total of $2.2 billion, these most recent figures demonstrate that the industry is well on the way to living up to expectations and that software, such as vision technology, is likely to have the significant impact on the market in 2015. In fact, the machine vision systems arena saw a year-over-year increase of 24%.

Applications specific machine vision systems (ASMV) increased 24%. Additionally, machine vision components, including cameras, lighting, and software, saw an 11% growth in Q1 of 2015. Lighting grew by 28%, while cameras grew 11% and software 8%.

Overall, this is welcome and positive news for the UK manufacturing sector, it appears manufacturing companies are hiring more staff, with employment in the sector increasing for the 26th consecutive month.

At IVS, we continue to see interest and demand for machine vision products in industries such a medical device, pharmaceutical, and automation, which is great for the long term health of these markets.

With the North America machine vision market off to a solid start in 2015, it is clear to see that an increasing number of organisations and companies across various sectors are noting the value that machine vision and imaging systems can have on the bottom-line of their business.

Britain’s Car Makers Continue To Grow

Posted on

It’s official; Britain’s car makers are some of the country’s productive employees, each generating £100,000 a year in added value. This once again adds to the positivity which is currently engulfing the UK manufacturing sector.

Productivity in the UK car industry has risen by 35pc since 2010 and is now twice the national average of £46,000, and better than the wider manufacturing sector’s figure of £62,000. This, combined with advanced production techniques, mean that three cars roll off the UK’s production lines every minute, according to new data from industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

As we stated in our very own letter featured in the Daily Telegraph’s letters pages, this news, whilst welcome and extremely positive, doesn’t come as much surprise to us at all.

There is now clear evidence that UK manufacturers are adopting standard manufacturing principles which have been used in German manufacturing for many years, and this has resulted in a transition which has seen the performance of the manufacturing sector in the UK change rapidly, and all for the better. UK factories continue to make products that are more competitive now than at any time in the modern era. This is exactly why UK manufacturing must be at the centre of a better-balanced economy.

There are several reasons why this is the case. Across the automotive industry there is increasing demand for automation and control, in our case our multi-camera inspection systems are critical to the modern factory, particularly for the automotive market. This in turn increases productivity for manufacturers. And of course there is a better quality and more skilled workforce; a shift from the production of low to high productivity goods; an improvement in the information technology base; and more investment in research and development.

Engine Production Plant