Plan B designed and manufactured a system for the automated quality testing of tissue strips in accordance with FDA (Food and Drug Association) standards for a global American pharmaceutical and consumer goods manufacturer. In addition to the demanding mechanical implementation, the special features of this project were the low cycle time and the special requirements regarding the quality and accuracy of the product.
Conceptual design and construction of an automation solution for the measurement and quality control of fabric strips
Manufacture, installation and commissioning of the plant
Coordination of the various trades
Commissioning in the clean room including production support
Plan B has more than 20 years of project experience in assembly technology and is able to support the customer in all project phases - both in planning and implementation.
The automation solution developed here significantly increases inspection throughput while simultaneously improving inspection quality.
The coordination of the various trades and project participants by Plan B represents a significant success factor for the customer. Here we rely on a reliable and well-established partner network. Plan B high level of vertical integration enabled the rapid creation of prototypes and a high level of responsiveness, for example when product requirements changed.
The system for automated measurement and quality control of fabric strips is designed for use in clean rooms. The products are subject to the highest safety level because they are operated on. These requirements are covered in the automation solution by using carefully selected, FDA-compliant materials with particularly low particle emissions.
Using high-resolution camera technology and working with different light spectra (RGB-infrared) and perspectives, both the smallest and most diverse particles are detected. In addition, there are techniques for deionization to prevent the components from becoming statically charged.
In a cycle time of 5.4 seconds, a fabric strip is removed, subjected to various checks and transferred to a component tray in an aligned position and orientation.
The fabric strips are handled using the suction gripper of a 4-axis robot, so the components are introduced into the testing process on a rotary indexing table.
On the rotary indexing table, the product first passes through an alignment position and then three testing positions: The dimensions of the component are measured using camera systems. A multispectral analysis detects the smallest particle-sized contamination and the number and size of defects in the mesh of the fabric is determined using transmitted light.
Cleanroom and FDA conformity of the system
Rigid and at the same time lightweight system construction
Compliance with very low tolerances and positioning accuracy over the duration of the process
Automated stacking and unstacking of trays
Automated alignment of component carriers and components
Multispectral analysis to detect contamination on the product
Optical measurement of the product with transmitted light
Use of white light for quality control of the number of stitches or defects in the fiber composite material
Checking the component position with infrared sensors
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