Taste isn't the only determining factor in chocolate enjoyment, as it can also be appreciated with the eyes. Perfect optics express the delicacy and flavor of chocolate. Thanks to the direct integration of Micro-Epsilon's state-of-the-art laser scanners into the production line, the entire product range can be checked at high speed, efficiently and in real time, using non-contact measurements.
Today's chocolate production is highly automated, but is often subject to lengthy quality controls. Manual quality control, carried out at the end of the production process using tactile measurements or laser dot sensors, is much more time-consuming and expensive. Visual inspections are also time-consuming, require employee attention and do not necessarily guarantee consistent quality.
In addition, Micro-Epsilon's laser scanners provide a time-saving solution compared to previous controls, offering highly accurate quality control of the entire production run by replacing sampling. The scanCONTROL 2960-100 inspects the entire production run in real time. With a scan speed of over 60 m/min, the high-speed laser scanners detect the profile of every chocolate bar produced, without contact, and deliver it to the software. The scanCONTROL Configuration Tools software enables the scanner to be parameterized beforehand. Measured values are then compared with predefined parameters. Typical measurement quantities include profile, width, height, depth, edge, groove, flatness and deformation. Once the scanner has determined the measurement values, an OK or NOK signal is transmitted directly to the production line controller, enabling the associated steps to be taken in the production line.
Direct intervention in the production line is thus possible, reducing rejects to a minimum.
The laser scanners in the scanCONTROL series operate without contact, and can be positioned at any distance from the measurement object. The system is perfectly reliable, even in the presence of variations in the surface texture of the conveyor belt or the different colors of dark or white chocolate. The laser scanners in the scanCONTROL product family are among the most powerful profile sensors in the world, in terms of size, precision and measurement frequency. These sensors measure even the smallest components with the highest precision, while opening up a new dimension in quality control.
Learn more: www.micro-epsilon.fr