Online QC System Eases English Muffin Production
In the past, Kroger Bakeries (Anderson, S.C.) has relied on manual inspection for their English muffin lines. But a year ago, fed up with the production delays caused by "doubles" jamming their forker machines, the company installed Dipix Technologies' QualiVision Model L800-M4 online inspection/rejection system. Besides eliminating the need for manual removal of doubles, the unit has improved the efficiency of the automated laning and packaging system. It also provides plant managers with continuous production-run statistics.
How it works
The system performs 3D optical inspection of the top surface of a single file stream of muffins at rates up to 5 muffins/s. The L800-M4 unit is inserted into the line between the end of the cooling belt and the beginning of the packaging area. (See Figure 1) Muffins flow in single file from the cooling belt onto the L800-M4 belt, where they are accelerated to space them apart. Muffins are examined for size, shape and bake color. An individual muffin that falls outside defined specification limits is automatically removed by an air-jet rejection system, not disturbing its leading and trailing neighbors. (See Figure 2) The air jet, which can be mounted on either side of the belt, blows the muffin sideways off the belt.
Figure 1
Figure 2
The online system, mounted directly over the belt and servicing only a single line, generates measurements continuously. The unit operates automatically, generating data 24 hours a day, with little operator intervention.
The line operator is continually provided with production statistics allowing rejection thresholds to be adjusted to minimize waste. The availability of accurate production statistics allows the plant manager to closely monitor the production yield and consistency of the product.
Types of faults that can be detected are:
- Too small and broken
- Too large and doubles
- Out of round
- Too tall or too short
- Sloped or too lumpy
- Too light or too dark
- 72 in. along the belt in the direction of muffin travel
- 12 in. belt width
- 36 in. total width (belt width plus 12 in. on each side)
- 32 in. floor to belt height
- 80 in. floor to top of unit
- Unit can be sized to replace an existing conveyor section.
- Dedicated circuit required to power inspection system
- 110/220 V, 10 A, 50/60 Hz standard
- Includes internal UPS to protect against brownouts and spikes.
- One compressed air line (25 cfm at 80 psig) with oil and water filters to drive vortex type cooler for electronics
- Additional compressed air line (30 cfm at 80 psig) to drive rejection air jet.
- Includes an embedded Pentium PC system with hard drive and floppy drive
- Externally mounted color touch screen allows operator input and graphical display of measurement results in real time
- Spare slot allows customer to add PC network connection.
By Pam Ahlberg