ensure barcode and printed text quality with …...16 © microscan systems inc. reading vs....

Ensure barcode and

printed text quality with

machine vision verification

Presented by

Jonathan Ludlow

Machine Vision Promoter at Microscan

Sadie Zeller

Product Manager at Microscan

About Microscan

Founded in 1982, technology

innovator and leader for 30+ years

Inventor of laser diode scanners

and Data Matrix symbology

Focused on Track, Trace &

Control solutions

Capabilities from barcode reading

to precise vision inspection

A Spectris company

Agenda

1. Effects of barcode quality and legibility on

product traceability

2. In-line machine vision verification

3. Ensuring product quality and safety with

OCR/OCV and inspection

4. Case study – machine vision and traceability in

food manufacturing

5. Q&A

The Problem with

Unreadable Codes and Text

Many Machine Readable Codes for AutoID

1D Bar Codes

2D Symbologies – “2D Bar Codes”

Definitions and Symbology Basics

QR Code

Data Matrix Code – A Brief Tutorial

Microscan invented the Data Matrix code and placed it in

the public domain

Data Matrix advantages:

Small size - Highest information density

Digital encoding

Readable in any orientation, scalable

Built-in error correction

Low contrast requirement

Why Do Good Codes Go Bad?

Every Marking System Degrades Over Time

Barcodes NEVER Get Better After Leaving the

Marking System

Human Error Can Result in Product and

Packaging Mix-Ups

Incorrect code or

text format/content

Regulatory

Issues

Loss of Identity

or Traceability

Pain Points and

Problems

Upset or

Confused

Customers

Unreadable codes due

to poor print quality or

damage

Process Downtime

Waste/Scrap

Various Marking Applications

Print serialized barcodes on labels or product

packaging

Print product codes on secondary packaging

Directly mark parts with identifying code

Example:

Direct Print on Cardboard Cartons

Direct printing is

economical

Symbol quality varies

greatly

Large retailers fine

vendors for no reads

Example:

Printed Labels on Pharmaceuticals

1D and 2D Verification

High Mark Contrast

Substrate is Controlled

Stringent Traceability

Requirements

Regulations Requiring

Verification of Date and

Lot Codes (FDA)

Poll 1

What are the biggest issues your company is

facing due to poor barcode or text quality?

Quality control issues

Waste/scrap

Process downtime

Customer fines or returned material

None of the above

Machine Vision Verification

Reading vs. Verification

Reading tells you only that the code

can be read right now by your barcode

reader. It may still be unreadable by

your customer’s reader.

Verification tells you not only that you

can read a mark, but also how close

you are to the edge of readability or if

you are heading that way. It ensures

that any suitable reader can read.

Common Methods of Inspection

Off line verification

Problem in marking method undetected until next

sample

Scrap and downtime to determine scope of issue

Scanner/Imager to confirm code can be read

Does not tell how well it can be read

Does not analyze the code and provide data

Does not allow for trending based triggers

Does not alert to a problem until there actually is one.

Measuring the quality of a barcode to a published

standard

Verification results are expressed in grades

4 / A = perfect − 0 / F = very poor or unreadable

Standards:

ISO 15415 – Printed 2D Codes

ISO 15416 – Printed 1D Codes

AIM DPM-1-2006/ISO 29158 – Direct Part Marks

Machine vision verification is camera-based

What Is Machine Vision

Verification?

Find out if the marking system is degrading

before you have a problem

Without verification, thousands

of “bad” parts escape into the

process

With verification, we prevent

bad barcodes from ever being

Two Levels of Quality Grading

Process Control/ Validation: validate the

quality of the applied code/mark to internal

quality standards

Conformance Verification: verify that the

applied code/mark meets ISO or AIM standards

In-line verification

ensures that EVERY

product ships with a

good quality barcode

In-Line

Verification

Grading (0.0 to 4.0)

each code at the point

of marking

Instant feedback on

code grade/quality

Instant warning of low

grade/unreadable

Able to observe trends

Optional logging of

grade results and

images

Action Based on Data – Purge Event

Define purge trigger/alarm point

Printer purge cleans ink jet head

Before and After a Printer Purge

Before

True verification requires ISO/AIM-compliant light &

undistorted image

C-Mount lenses preferred

Perpendicular mounting to avoid perspective

distortion*

Shield from ambient light

Fixed distance

At least 8 pixels per element*

A short (<250µs) exposure time for moving symbols

* Per the applicable standard

Recommended Verification Platforms

Complete verification kits based on application needs

Include smart camera, lens, lighting and mounts

Barcode Verification Monitoring Interface (VMI)

Dot Peen DPM 2D codes 1D/2D Glossy Labels Large Linear 1D codes

Configuration Examples

Poll 2

Which methods do you use to check barcode

quality?

1. Visual inspection

2. Confirm codes can be read with a barcode reader

3. Offline verification of samples to internal quality standards

4. Offline verification of samples to ISO or AIM standards

5. 100% verification to internal quality standards

6. 100% verification to ISO or AIM standards

7. None

Ensuring Quality and Safety with

AutoID and Machine Vision

What is AutoVISION?

Machine Vision, Simplified.

Microscan’s AutoVISION family includes a flexible line of smart cameras

that run the intuitive AutoVISION software, enabling easy

implementation of machine vision inspection by users of all skill levels.

AutoVISIONTM Machine Vision Solutions

for off-line and in-line grading

Verification is a

tool in

AutoVISION

How can you ensure quality and safety?

Auto ID Tracking & Traceability

Match inserts to packaging

Barcode and 2D – any marking method

Item traceability

Anti-counterfeiting measures

Visual Inspection

Date and lot verification

Safety seal inspection

Label presence/position

Package integrity

Precision Measurement

Fill levels

Cap/seal/label alignment

Quality assurance

Optical Character Reading (OCR)

Optical Character Verification (OCV)

Terms often used incorrectly – NOT the same

OCR: Optical Character Recognition

OCV: Optical Character Verification

OCR – is an automatic identification tool

Typically looks at variable text

Gives a best estimate of text content, not good at assessing print quality

OCR is intended to read poor quality characters

OCV – a print quality inspection tool

Typically used on fixed text

Checks for correctness, quality, contrast and sharpness

OCV is intended to flag & reject poor quality characters

OCR copes with

variation in text

OCV detects

variation in text

AutoID+ in Action

Application Example:

Label Content Validation

• 1D or 2D Match Strings – Static or Dynamic

• Match GS1 Application Identifier (AI ) Fields with Human Readable text

• Human Readable Match Strings – Static or Dynamic

External

Match String

Assignment

(Serial, TCP,

EIP, or

Profinet)

Error Prevention in

Food Packaging Problem:

Cups and lids don’t match

Incorrect packaging for product

Solution:

Match Data Matrix code or OCR

on the lid to a barcode on the

cup to ensure correctness

Line stops on errors

Result:

System ensures immediate

results & avoids human error

ROI - under 3 months

High Speed Can InkJet Code Read

Data Matrix reading

OCR (rotated ROI)

400-500 PPM

Bright Stock Print Legibility

Variety code print

legibility

Over 1000 PPM

Visionscape GigE

camera and NERLITE

CDI light

Print Presence

Print Present

No Print

Poll 3

How do you currently inspect printed text on

your product?

1. Visual inspection on samples pulled from production

2. Visual inspection on samples pulled from finished

3. 100% visual inspection

4. Vision sensors

5. Machine vision

6. We do not inspect printed text

Case Study:

Machine vision technology ensures

product quality and traceability at

food manufacturer

Case: Food manufacturing

Solution Requirements:

Improved quality and accuracy

of the printed product code on

every can

Assurance that every can

receives the correct label

Improved overall traceability of

canned fruits and vegetables

How it works:

Machine Vision system with cameras at

multiple key points, supported by

Microscan’s advanced Visionscape software.

Inspection and verification of printed product

codes, UPC/2D codes on product labels, and

finished cases at varying operating speeds

up to 1,200 cans per minute.

Any code that is missing or unreadable is rejected. If the

system detects the wrong code, the line will shut down and

alert the operator.

How it works:

PLC control

Data to a SQL database

Custom user screens for monitoring and easy

changeovers

Monitoring of pass/fail counts, current and last

failed images,

Setting inspection tolerances and imaging

parameters

Remote support capability.

Solution Benefits:

Accurate labeling assures the reseller and

end-user of the product that there will be no

surprises when opening the can.

Inspection is critical for compliance with allergen

labeling and prevents product recalls due to

mislabeling.

Expanded traceability limits the extent of a recall

should one become necessary, and speeds

troubleshooting by helping to identify precisely

where an error has occurred.

Thank you!

For more information:

www.microscan.com

info@microscan.com

ensure barcode and printed text quality with …...16 © microscan systems inc. reading vs....

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