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Omron Automation manufactures intelligent automation product lines including: industrial robots, mobile robots, and other flexible automation equipment, machine vision and systems, plus software. Omron provides cost-effective robotics systems and services to high-growth markets including Packaged Goods, Life Sciences, Electronics and Semiconductor; as well as traditional industrial markets including machine tool automation and automotive components.

Content Filed Under:

Industry:
Aerospace and Automotive Aerospace , Automotive , Consumer Goods/Appliances , Containers (glass, plastic, metal) , Electronics/Electrical Components , Food & Beverage , Laboratory Equipment & Automation , Medical Devices , Miscellaneous Manufacturing , Packaging , Pharmaceutical , and Semiconductor

Application:
Bar Code/OCR Reading , In Process Verification , and Laser Inspection Bar Code/OCR Reading , In Process Verification , Laser Inspection , Measurement (Non Contact) , Monitoring (Vision-based) , Process Control , Quality Assurance , Vision Guidance for Robotics , and Visual Inspection & Testing

Ensuring Labeling Accuracy in the Packaging Process with Barcode and Machine Vision Systems

POSTED 07/17/2012

| By: Microscan

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s white paper focuses on barcode and machine vision systems that can be used in packaging lines to ensure label accuracy and to comply with safety regulations as well as mandates or codes of practice imposed by retailers. Barcode and machine vision solutions help manufacturers adhere to these regulations and avoid product recalls, whilst ensuring quality and improving efficiency. Three specific applications are discussed in this paper:

End of Line barcode system that detects incorrect labels in a food packaging facility
Machine vision OCR (optical character recognition) system that verifies contents in a high-speed canning line
Machine vision OCV (optical character verification) system that ensures print legibility and label presence in bottle labeling

100% Label Accuracy with End of Line Inspection Systems
Accurate labeling is essential to today’s food and beverage manufacturers, who need to cut costs, improve quality, and ensure accuracy in their packaging process in order to meet increased customer expectations, address a more competitive marketplace, and minimize the potential for product recalls. Mislabeled products pose a safety risk for consumers with allergies, and represent an enormous liability to the company in the form of costly recalls and associated lawsuits.

Products may receive an incorrect label during the packaging process for a number of reasons. Mislabeling can occur as the result of an equipment fault, such as a clogged printer nozzle that fails to produce readable text or barcodes. Simple human error can also be a factor, particularly in operations where manual inspection cannot keep up with line speeds and labeling errors are likely to be missed.
Automated data acquisition solutions including machine vision and barcode systems help to prevent mislabeled products by ensuring print accuracy and verifying product contents during the packaging process. 100% inspection delivers the peace of mind that products are properly labeled before they make it to the grocery store shelf.

More and more facilities are adopting these technologies as they realize the benefits that automated inspection brings to their process. While every operation brings a unique set of requirements and challenges, three sample applications that utilize barcode and machine vision technology to ensure labeling accuracy are outlined in this paper.