Bobst Sa

Bobst Mex Sa

Olivier Porret

Roger H Roch

Claude Toma

Francis Pilloud

Jeronimo Alonso

Pablo Antolinez

Mario Bellino

This invention is about an imaging system that uses conventional cameras and a single laser line to perform quality control at the output of a converting machine or a press. The system uses several cameras distributed over the width of the printed sheets. Thanks to the laser line, it can reconstruct the complete image of the printed matter even when the sheets are not perfectly flat or at varying height, compensating geometric as well as photometric distortions. The use of conventional cameras results in a cost effective system.

Multi-camera imaging system using a laser line

A method of inspecting the quality of blanks () to be processed into packaging material, includes the following steps: A carrier () with a plurality of blanks () is supplied. Each blank () is identified in accordance with its position (n) on the carrier (), and a scanned image (S) of each blank () is obtained, and each scanned image (S) is compared with a reference image (R) associated with the specific position (n) of the blank () from which the image was taken. Based on the result of the comparison, the respective blank () is accepted or rejected. Furthermore, there is a quality inspection system () comprising a digital imaging unit () for scanning images of blanks () on a sheet (), a unit () for generating individual reference images for each blank, a storage () for storing the individual reference images (R), and a comparator () for comparing scanned images (S) of a blank with the individual reference image (R) for this blank ().

Method of inspecting the quality of blanks, in particular of blanks to be processed into packaging material, and quality inspection system

This automatic system ( ) detects printing faults on metallized strips ( ) or any other printing support comprising a predominance of specular color surfaces. The said system, arranged in a blackout casing ( ), comprises an arm ( ) on which there can move automatically a lighting unit ( ) provided with a video camera ( ). The camera has a variable-focus lens ( ) which, through a semi-transparent filter ( ) disposed in an oblique position in front of the lens, continuously films a portion of the strip ( ) of a format ( ) of variable size. The illumination of this strip portion is provided by two direct-illumination flashlights ( ), provided primarily to illuminate the non-specular surfaces of the strip, and by two other indirect-illumination flashlights ( ), advantageously provided to illuminate the specular color surfaces. One of the two flashlights ( ) comprises a translucent flat diffuser ( ) disposed on its leading front surface and oriented preferentially in the direction of the semi-transparent filter ( ), while the other flashlight ( ) is oriented in the direction of the surface of a concave and opaque diffuser ( ). Enclosing the semi-transparent filter ( ), the diffuser ( ) is mounted at its center on a sleeve ( ) which provides the mechanical and optical connection between the diffuser ( ) and the lens ( ) of the camera ( ).

Automatic system for detecting printing faults on metallized strips or any other printing support comprising a predominance of specular color surfaces

During, for example, package production, printed sheets are carried by gripper bars through a cutting station of a machine. Front waste strips are removed from the printed sheets and are carried to an ejection device, but before reaching the ejection device, a camera and flash scanning unit scans the area of the front waste strip which has been marked with color registration marks and also includes at least a portion of a cut edge. An image processing unit compares this sample image to a reference image to conduct a quality check on the precision of the printing and cutting registration.

Method and apparatus for checking printing and cutting quality in a

A CAMERA-FLASH unit of a feeder table of an infeed station belonging to a machine converting sheets into package is disclosed. The CAMERA-FLASH unit shoots an image of the color register marks printed previously on every sheet. The CAMERA-FLASH unit operates jointly with an IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM having previously memorized a reference image from a model sheet. Owing to an image process comparison of the images shot from the successive sheets to the memorized image of the model, it is possible to check whether the quality criteria of the run are fulfilled.

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Lussery-Villars, Switzerland

Olivier Porret