PETpla.net Insider 12 / 2019

TRADE SHOW REVIEW PET planet Insider Vol. 20 No. 12/19 www.petpla.net 43 PET preform and container measurements “The Pilot Vision+ system is a modu- lar, vision-based inspection system that mounts inside high-speed SBM equipment with a special focus on containers with high amounts of rPET,” Marketing Director David Dineff explained. “The system is designed to handle operating speeds of up to 100,000 bph.” Inspection modules mount within the SBM and are avail- able for preform, seal-surface, bottle sidewall and base. The Pilot Vision+ preform inspection module was developed to identify visible defects before the bottle is blown. Multiple colour cameras capture and generate images for 360º sidewall inspection, as well as end cap and gate. Accord- ing to Agr, the optics, LED illumination and image analysis routines are opti- mised to identify preform defects that impact bottle integrity, particularly the black specs and particle contamina- tion sometimes associated with rPET. “With the increased use of rPET, chal- lenges related to colour consistency may also be an issue“, Mr Dineff con- tinued. “The preform cameras check for acceptable colour ranges. This is particularly valuable with the varia- tions in colour that can occur when higher percentages of rPET are used.“ The system is also able to learn mul- tiple reference image sets for respec- tive colour inspection, which can be useful for identifying different supply sources and preforms with slightly dif- ferent colours. The Pilot Vision+ base inspection module incorporates a set of algo- rithms that can identify the smallest defects and anomalies, regardless of base size, shape or design. The base inspection module features a unique liquid lens, which adjusts focus for bottle heights from 127mm to 406mm, without mechanical compo- nents. The focus settings are saved with each job and are automatically adjusted for new container heights. The touch screen user interface pro- vides comprehensive data access to the operator. The system features: pre-built tool sequences for each inspection type; the ability to adjust parameters using live and history images during production; and full- colour preform imaging for colour management. “The system is part of Agr’s Pro- cess Pilot family and could be used along with the company’s long- standing Process Pilot blowmoulder management system,” Dineff said. This combination provides bottle producers with the ability to detect random occurring defects and to better manage material distribution, even in difficult bottle design situa- tions. Agr also presented an update of their Gawis laboratory test series. The Gawis 4D provides enhanced levels of design, process and qual- ity management for plastic containers and preforms. John McCabe, a design engineer on the Gawis 4D team, dem- onstrated the equipment in action on different containers and preforms, in a range of sizes and neck finishes. “The system can perform multi- ple measurements, on a wide range of plastic containers and preforms, with accuracy, repeatability and high operational throughput,“ Dineff explained. An updated, automated optical gauging and thickness meas- urement technology is designed to simplify container measurement operations for higher testing through- puts. The (patent pending) “Auto Job” function, incorporated in the device, is designed to simplify job setup and significantly reduce the time required for an operator to identify and config- ure finish measurements. It scans the bottle or preform and, utilising a form of AI, identifies standard finish meas- urements for that sample and incor- porates them into the job with a single click, within 18 to 20 sec. The opera- tor can make adjustments or addi- tional measurements as necessary. By simplifying job creation, the Gawis 4D is claimed to be able to save hun- dreds of operator working hours each year. The system can process PET, PE and PP containers. It works with high pixel density camera components in combination with enhanced telecen- tric optics and lighting and undertakes 360º imaging, with frames captured up to 1º. This combination is claimed to achieve a precise image and dimen- sional data, while increasing through- put by 30%. A large library of industry stand- ard finish measurement routines is provided with each system. These are customisable to meet the needs of the application. The equipment uses infrared light spectrometer technol- ogy to perform thickness measure- ments, without direct contact on the preform or bottle. It is also compatible with manual measurement and offers thickness measure at discrete points, or it can scan vertical or horizontal regions for material distribution analy- sis. Measurements can be performed at multiple locations and regions on the sample to get a full bottle profile. Once a job has been defined, meas- urements are performed in exactly the same way on every sample. The Gawis 4D features Industry 4.0 com- munication protocol and is backwards- compatible with previous versions. www.agrintl.com David Dineff (left) with Kay Barton next to the Gawis 4D Agr International, USA, exhibited the latest version of its Pilot Vision+ PET preform and bottle inspection system for in-line use in stretch blow mould (SBM) machinery, and premiered its new Gawis 4D laboratory system for precise container dimension and wall-thickness measurement.