Concise description

SICK’s sensors and vision systems can be used to checking lids and caps of liquid packaging.

Task

Tetra Pak in Lund, Sweden was searching for a camera solution, which is able to check lids and caps of packages for its Tetra Top package. Tetra Pak is a worldwide leading company in the area of food processing and packaging solutions.

Implementation

3D cameras from SICK used in liquid packaging

With the extremely precise 3D camera technology from SICK, Tetra Pak found the suitable solution for checking lids and caps. The IVC-3D smart camera combines image processing, lighting, and evaluation in a single housing.

At Tetra Pak, these features were perfectly suited for checking caps on Tetra Top package. The 3D camera locates the caps of the containers at high speed, verifying proper fit. In each image, the height and inclination of the cap are measured to check the correct application. By using the 3D method, solutions are possible even when the containers are located in a carton and when solutions using the 2D method/back lighting cannot be applied. Containers with flawed lids are sorted out and the measured values are transmitted to the master control system for analytical and statistical purposes.

Customer benefits

The 3D camera technology from SICK ensures high standard of quality products and satisfied customers.

Martin Thuresson, developer of the 3D inspection system at Tetra Pak says, “A 3D solution was chosen to enable simple package volume change-over without mechanics. This way, the solution requires no operator intervention. The 3D system offers correct measurements even if the package pose varies, as well as an integrated unit with simple interfacing.”

And Marcus Ek, responsible for the 3D inspection system adds, “The system gives a good quality inspection of our packages and allows a simple and standardized installation, which was important in our application.”

The easy-to-operate camera is factory-calibrated and thus simple to install. Moreover, the camera met additional requirements by Tetra Pak, featuring uncomplicated data exchange with the master control systems by means of Ethernet (EtherNet/IP, OPC, TCP/IP), Digital I/O, or RS-485, as well as stand-alone operation without PC.

The 3D method works even in the case of diverging positions and inclined containers with the type of reliability not possible when using 2D solutions.