Smartech LE Control Inc.

VISION SYSTEM MONITORING

ACTIVITIES REPORT

Prepared by: Dave Bunquin

Smartech LE Control Inc., 1

Confidential File
VISION SYSTEM FAULT MONITORING (24 HRS)

General Problems:

1. False Rejection and Product Stacking

2. Intermittent errors on the Camera Vision System, errors categorized into:
a) Camera Sensor Errors
b) Mechanical Flipper Errors

Probable Causes:
3. Camera Setting not fully optimize causing the false rejections(problem in conveyor
background)
4. Timing is not optimized in flipper rejector action with different box rejects
5. Pneumatic Pressure varies thru a period of time resulting in different response
time for the rejector

Objective:

6. Monitor the vision systems for 24 hours to identify the problems happening in the
long machine runs.
7. Propose corrective action plans to eliminate the errors permanently
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 C1 REPORT
Reported Problems Occurring during production:
1. Product Stacking during rejection, product is caught between the flipper and
railing

2. False rejection in some good products due to the little space between each
product, the good products is also caught by the flipper

Initial Corrections Done:

3. Modified the flippers assembly, added a wall on its ejector

4. Recalibrated the camera program and the plc program

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 C1 REPORT
Problems Observed during 24 Hr Monitoring
1. Seldomly good product is being pushed if it is too close to the product that is being
rejected

2. Certain times there is a slight delay/advance in the rejector actuation which one of
the cause maybe by the changing pressure of the pneumatic supply

Proposal Corrective Plan:

3. Fine tuning the actuation to meet the center point, delay may be caused of the
difference in pneumatic pressure in a certain time.
4. Request to mondelez facility to have a dedicated pneumatic line for all the vision
systems) provide a buffer tank for the air.
5. Overall, in the course of 24 hr monitoring, there were no major problem occurred
in the C1 Vision System

STATUS: OPERATIONAL
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 C3 REPORT
Reported Problems Occurring during production:
1. There were no reported problems in both C3 Vision Systems Prior to the
monitoring

Problems Observed during 24 Hr Monitoring

2. For the C3 Right Side Machine, we observed that there are mis triggers in the
object sensor, the sensor fails to send the signal to the camera when there are
objects passing,
Initial Action Done:
3. Adjusted the position of the sensor closer to the product
passing, though the sensor is improved but certain times it
malfunctions during long run

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 C3 REPORT
Proposal Corrective Plan:
1. Replace the object sensor with a new sensor for 100% object triggering.

STATUS: BOTH OPERATIONAL, C3 Right with body object triggering issue.

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 C4 REPORT
Reported Problems Occurring during production:
1. Intermittent Stacking and False rejection on the product.
2. False rejection on all product passing on the line.

Initial Action Done:

3. Adjusted the camera’s parameters again, adjusted the rejector timing
4. Discovered that the rejection on all products is caused by the blockage of the
camera’s vision area. A carton is placed just under the camera blocking its vision.
5. Removed the item blocking the camera and everything seems to be normal.
6. Added another layer of light block

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 C4 REPORT
Problems Observed during 24 HR Monitoring
1. False rejection in a period of time.
2.When there is a rejected product, the next product will also be hit by the flipper
making it turn sideways and block the path. During the monitoring span, happened 3
times.
3. Also, there are times where a good product will be rejected because it is too close
to the rejected product. When the rejector actuates, 2 products will be hit.
4. Certain times there is a slight delay/advance in the rejector actuation which maybe
caused by the changing pressure of the pneumatic supply
5. Instance where the rejector failed to return to original position after rejecting a
product causing for the succeeding products to be rejected as well

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 C4 REPORT
Proposal Corrective Plan:

1. Design a self guiding mechanism where it could re align turned products which are
not supposed to be rejected.
2. Request to mondelez facility to have a dedicated pneumatic line for all the vision
systems) provide a buffer tank for the air. The delay maybe cause by the changing
pneumatic supply pressure.
3. Improve rejector mechanism to match the cheese size.
4. Because of the difference in conveyor type there is a time that the camera will
capture the dark side of the belt. Making for the grading of the camera low,
possible to have a reprogram on camera algorithm to compensate on the situation
on conveyor.

STATUS: OPERATIONAL WITH SLIGHT ISSUE ON REJECTOR

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 C6 REPORT
Reported Problems Occurring during production:
1. Massive false rejection on the line

Initial Action Done:

2. Adjusted the camera’s parameters again, adjusted the rejector timing

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 C6 REPORT Black spots
Problems Observed during 24 HR Monitoring recognized as flap
1. False rejection in a period of time.
2. Rejected all products passing

Black parts
recognized as
flaps

Proposal Corrective Plan:

3. Because of the difference in conveyor type there is a time that the camera will
capture the dark side of the belt. Making for the grading of the camera low,
possible to have a reprogram on camera algorithm to compensate on the situation
on conveyor.

STATUS: AS REPORTED, TURNED OFF BY OPERATORES AFTER OUR

MONITORING. 11

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 WOLF REPORT
Reported Problems Occurring during production:
1. Slow Actuation of the cylinder in long time run (Initial problem before online)

Initial Action Done:

2. Installed a quick exhaust valve to have faster response time. Improved its
response time.

Quick Exhaust
Valve

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 WOLF REPORT
Problems Observed during 24 HR Monitoring
1. Slow response time of the cylinder in long run (Simultaneous rejection)

Proposal Corrective Plan:

2. Proposal to convert the mechanism from a mechanical rejector into a pneumatic

rejector. Initial testing using an air as pusher is OK.
3. Improve PLC programming with the timing

STATUS: TURNED OFF WHILE DESIGNING FOR A PNEUMATIC REJECTOR

SYSTEM.

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SUMMARY OF PROBABLE CAUSES:

1. One of the causes of delay and advance rejector actuation is

due to the changing of pneumatic supply’s pressure.
2. Difference in the type of conveyor for C4 and C6 causing for
the false rejections.

GENERAL PROPOSAL CORRECTIVE PLAN

3. Due to the fluctuating pressure and volume available at the

pneumatic line, proposal to have a buffer tank for all the vision
system line. Only the vision systems will be connected to this
pneumatic supply. We shall request for MDLZ facility to provide this

4. Initially as recommended, modify the lighting of the system for C4

and C6 due to conflict in conveyor color.
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5. Adjust the rejector actions.
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 SUMMARY OF GENERAL PROBABLE CAUSES:
No. Problem C1 C3 C3 C4 C6 Wolf Remarks
Left Right
1 Product Stacking during rejection,
product is caught between the flipper
and railing.
2 False rejection in some good products
due to the little space between each
product, the good products is also
caught by the flipper.
3 Certain times there is a slight
delay/advance in the rejector
actuation which one of the cause
maybe by the changing pressure of the
pneumatic supply.

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 SUMMARY OF PROBABLE CAUSES:
No. Problem C1 C3 C3 C4 C6 Wolf Remarks
Left Right
1 Product Stacking during rejection,
product is caught between the flipper
and railing.
2 False rejection in some good products
due to the little space between each
product, the good products is also
caught by the flipper.
3 Certain times there is a slight
delay/advance in the rejector
actuation which one of the cause
maybe by the changing pressure of the
pneumatic supply.
4 Observed that there are mistriggers in
the object sensor, the sensor fails to
send the signal to the camera when
there are objects passing.
5 False rejection on all product passing
on the line.

6 False rejection in a period of time.

7 Instance where the rejector failed to

return to original position after
rejecting a product causing for the
succeeding products to be rejected as
well
8 Slow Actuation of the cylinder in long
time run (Initial problem before
online).
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 SUMMARY OF INITIAL ACTIONS DONE:
No. Problem C1 C3 C3 C4 C6 Wolf Remarks
Left Right
1 Modified the flippers assembly, added a wall
on its ejector.

2 Recalibrated the camera program and the PLC

program.

3 Adjusted the position of the sensor closer to

the product passing, though the sensor is
improved but certain times it
malfunctions during long run

4 Discovered that the rejection on all products is

caused by the blockage of the camera’s vision
area. A carton is placed just under the camera
blocking its vision. Removed the item blocking
the camera and everything seems to be
normal. Added another layer of light block

5 Installed a quick exhaust valve to have faster

response time. Improved its response time.

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 Thanks

Smartech LE Control Inc., 18

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