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Automatic Visual Inspection and Sorting of Tablets, Capsules and Softgels

All-in-one inspection machine for tablets, capsules and softgels with inspection capacity up to 830.000 products / hour.

  • All-in-one visual inspection machine for tablets, capsules and softgels
  • High speed inspection of up to 830.000 products/hour
  • Extensive range of product sizes from 2 mm up to 28 mm
  • High colour sensitivity with 3D inspection for low contrast surface defects
  • User autonomy for outstanding flexibility to new product introduction with general inspection solution
  • Reliable active sorting with verification failsafe ejection control system
  • No defects needed for machine training
  • Intuitive user-friendly graphical interface
  • Ergonomic design and simple changeover
  • Scalable machine design enables functional upgrades for new requirements throughout machine life cycle
  • Local and global support

FUNCTIONALITY

100% surface inspection of each product

  • Six inspection units, one for each side of product
  • Colour, backlight and 3D images are acquired simultaneously for each side of product
  • Totally 18 images per product are used in inspection

Reliable mechanical manipulation

The product flow in Sensum SPINE starts by feeding of products from the input container to a filling unit. The filling unit fills the products into pockets of an upper inspection cylinder, where the products are held in defined, stable and repeatable position by vacuum. The rotating upper inspection cylinder transfers the products to the first inspection unit, where the top surface of the products is imaged. The products are then transferred to the lower inspection cylinder to the five additional inspection units where all remaining surfaces are imaged. The acquired images are then analysed and each product is classified as good or defective. The sorting unit actively sorts individual products into bins for good and defective products and verifies if the sorting was performed correctly. The inspection process is monitored and controlled by graphical user interface.

Autonomy for new products

General inspection solution for standard products

  • Full user autonomy for introduction of new products
  • Standard pre-manufactured mechanical and software tooling for round, oblong & oval tablets and for capsules & softgels
  • Controlled procedure for creating new inspection solution
  • Simple machine operation with:
    • intuitive and easy to use operation
    • transparent and well-defined process steps
    • effective performance, powered by AI for defect identification

Dedicated inspection solution for specific requirements

  • Interchangeable with general inspection solution
  • Dedicated plug & play tooling for special types of product shapes and sizes, or specific requests on enhanced throughput and particular quality demands

 

10 minute machine set up

  • No defects needed for training
  • Computer assisted setting procedure
  • Intuitive sensitivity setting with immediate feedback on detection performance and yield

10 minute machine cleaning and changeover

  • Ergonomic tool-free design
  • Easy cleaning
  • No adjustment of optical system needed

TABLET INSPECTION

Applicable tablets

• plain (uncoated)
• sugar-coated
• film-coated
• multilayer

Applicable dimensions

Round

Oblong

Other non-specified or special types of products have to be checked if applicable.


Indicative inspection speeds

Round tablets

Ø (diameter) in mm Tablets / hour*
13 – 18 210.000
10 – 12 420.000
8 – 9 520.000
7 – 5 630.000
< 5 830.000

Oval and oblong tablets

L (length) in mm Tablets / hour*
> 18 150.000
14 – 18 230.000
11 – 13 310.000
8 – 10 390.000
< 8 470.000

*Actual inspection speed depends on the shape, size and type of tablets, and on the number of inspected features. In special cases, even higher inspection speeds might be possible with dedicated solution.


Typical defects

In the list below are presented some of the typical defects on tablets. Machine can detect and sort out a wider list of different defects.
 

tablet defect foreign product

foreign product

tablet defect colour deviation

colour deviation

tablet defect shape

shape

tablet defect cracks

cracks

tablet defect coating defects

coating defects


tablet defect thickness

thickness

tablet defect chips

chips

tablet defect engraving

engraving defects

tablet defect lamination

lamination

tablet defect uneven

uneven surface


tablet defect satellite

satellite

tablet defect dirt

dirt

tablet defect damaged print

damaged print

tablet defect dots

dots

tablet defect damaged edge

damaged edge

CAPSULE INSPECTION

Applicable capsules

• Opaque
• Bicolour
• Transparent
• Empty

Applicable dimensions

Capsule

Other non-specified or special types of products have to be checked if applicable.


Indicative inspection speeds

Capsule sizes Capsules / hour*
000 & 00 & 0 & 1 & 2 200.000
3 & 4 & 5 300.000

*Actual inspection speed depends on the shape, size and type of capsules, and on the number of inspected features. In special cases, even higher inspection speeds might be possible with dedicated solution.


Typical defects

In the list below are presented some of the typical defects on capsules. Machine can detect and sort out a wider list of different defects.
 

capsules defect color deviation

colour deviation

capsules defect length

length

capsules defect dents

dents

capsules defect dots

dots

capsules defect split

split


capsules defect dirt

dirt

capsules defect holes

holes

capsules defect scratch

scratch

capsules defect telescoped

telescoped

capsules defect joints

joints


star ends

bubbles

pinhole on tip

damaged print

damaged band

SOFTGEL INSPECTION

Applicable softgel

• Opaque
• Bicolour
• Transparent
• Seamless

Applicable dimensions

Softgel

Other non-specified or special types of products have to be checked if applicable.


Indicative inspection speeds

L (length) in mm Softgels / hour*
> 15 160.000
14 – 15 280.000
11 – 13 380.000
8 – 10 470.000
< 8 570.000

*Actual inspection speed depends on the shape, size and type of softgels, and on the number of inspected features. In special cases, even higher inspection speeds might be possible with dedicated solution.


Typical defects (opaque products)

In the list below are presented some of the typical defects on softgels. Machine can detect and sort out a wider list of different defects.
 

softgel defect twins

twins

softgel defect shape

shape

softgel defect damaged seam

damaged seam

softgel defect dots

dots

softgel defect dirt

dirt


softgel defect hair

hair

softgel defect bubble in gelatine

bubble in gelatine

softgel defect misplaced print

misplaced print

blurred print

softgel defect twins damaged print

damaged print


Typical defects (transparent products)

In the list below are presented some of the typical defects on transparent softgels. Machine can detect and sort out a wider list of different defects.
 

transparent softgel defect twins

twins

transparent softgel defect size

size

transparent softgel defect shape

shape

transparent softgel defect deformed

deformed

transparent softgel defect hair

hair


transparent softgel dirt

dirt

transparent softgel defect bubbles in gelatine

bubbles in gelatine

transparent softgel defect bubbles in fill

bubbles in fill

transparent softgel broken

broken

transparent softgel pear shape

pear shape

Advantages

spine inspection machine flexibility
Maximal flexibility
  • All-in-one machine for tablets, capsules and softgels
  • Can inspect various colours, shapes and sizes up to 28 mm
  • Can inspect transparent products (capsules, softgels)
  • General format parts for standard products (oblong & oval tablets, capsules, softgels)
  • Machine autonomous inspection
State of the art visual inspection machine
State-of-the-art inspection
  • High speed inspection of up to 830.000 products/hour
  • Standardized inspection quality among different products
  • High quality inspection including 3D surface inspection
  • Entire product surface inspected by six colour cameras
  • Optimal illumination ensured by controllable LED
visual defect software
Proprietary software
  • Image analysis based on the latest scientific developments
  • AI supported inspection solutions
  • Visual defect detection feedback on graphical user interface
  • Statistical distributions of all inspected features
  • Batch reports in electronic and/or printed form
  • Compliant with FDA 21 CFR Part 11
inspection of defects in pharma
Simple training for inspection of new products
  • Training done within 10 minutes
  • No defects needed for machine training
  • Computer assisted setting procedure
  • Intuitive sensitivity setting with immediate
  • feedback on detection performance and yield
sorting and verification of defects
Reliable sorting with verification
  • Active sorting of each individual, good or defective product
  • Optical sorting verification of each sorted product
  • Fail-safe sorting design in case of media failure
user friendly visual inspection
User friendly device
  • Touch-screen based intuitive user graphical interface
  • Efficient self-cleaning system for active dedusting
  • Easy cleaning and maintenance
  • Fast changeover to other products within 10 minutes
  • Ergonomic tool-free design
  • No adjustment of optical system needed
inspection machine customer support
Strong aftersales support
  • Regular and responsive customer support
  • Local and global service support
  • On-site & on-line extended support in validation, troubleshooting and training

Technical data

tablets, capsules, softgels defect inspection
Application

Tablets, capsules and softgels

spine visual inspection speed
Inspection speed

Up to 830.000 products/hour

spine inspection performance
Inspection performance

High quality inspection for nutraceutical or pharmaceutical quality requirements

external connections for visual inspection machine
Media connections

Electrical connection and compressed air

inspection machine dimensions
Dimensions (L×W×H)

~ 1860 × 860 × 2145 mm

spine inspection machine weight
Weight

~ 1200 kg

spine inspection machine acceptable materials
Construction

CE, GMP, FDA acceptable materials


Video & Downloads

 

Video link YouTube channel
 


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