Challenge
A leading producer of plastic tubes for common household items, faced challenges in the production process. The complexity of manufacturing plastic tubes, essential for products like toothpaste and mayonnaise, brought forth issues related to efficiency, quality control, and cost-effectiveness. The need for precise control over lacquer coverage, welding quality, and overall product inspection posed significant hurdles.
The producer achieved an annual saving of approximately $400,000 through a remarkable waste reduction to 3%.
Solution
Seargin addressed Client’s challenges by implementing an advanced vision system throughout the production process. The system comprised a line camera, adjustable lighting with various angles to accommodate different types and colors of film, and machine learning algorithms. This system ensured the maintenance of a 5mm lacquer-free margin on both edges, a critical requirement for proper sealing, thus ensuring product quality and cost-effectiveness.
In the welding stage, a vision system equipped with a 12MPix camera, macro lens, specialized illuminator, and deep learning software monitored the weld quality. Detection of poorly sealed tubes prevented potential ruptures during pressure filling, saving materials and guaranteeing high-quality production. The final inspection phase utilized a vision system with a 5Mpix camera, telecentric lens, custom lighting, Cartesian robot, positioning device, and advanced image analysis software. This automated process identified creases, deviations from roundness, and contaminants at the tube’s bottom, eliminating the need for manual quality control and enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
Client’s Wins
Seargin’s solution not only addressed the specific challenges faced by the Client in plastic tube production but also proved to be a transformative investment with far-reaching positive effects on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, product quality, and sustainability.
Financial Savings
The producer achieved an annual saving of approximately $400,000 through a remarkable waste reduction to 3%.
Enhanced Product Quality
The implementation of the vision system ensured precise lacquer coverage, high welding quality, and thorough product inspection, contributing to an overall improvement in product quality.
Sustainability Contribution
The reduction in waste and increased efficiency align with Client’s sustainability goals, making the production process more environmentally friendly.