Food/Medicine/Cosmetic Manufacturing

In medicine manufacturing lines, high-speed, high-resolution global shutter image sensors are used for the purpose of inspecting external shape and printing scratches, chipping, or dirt on many tablets. Polarization image sensors are useful for checking tablet filling based on the difference in the degree of polarization between tablets and an aluminum sheet.

SWIR image sensors are useful for container content inspections in food and cosmetics manufacturing lines. SWIR wavelength light penetrates packages, allowing filling inspections to be carried out without destroying tablets, even for packages that appear opaque at first glance. Moreover, in situations with well-regulated product packaging facilities, ToF image sensors can be used for filling work and inspections.

In manufacturing lines for products such as cosmetics and shampoos, high-speed, high-resolution global shutter image sensors are used to inspect container labels and lids. Global shutter image sensors are able to clearly capture distortion-free images of subjects moving at high speed.

In food product manufacturing, inspections to check for the introduction of contaminants are absolutely essential. For example, if contaminants that have been mixed in with products are similar in color to the products themselves, it may be difficult to identify them using only a visible light camera. SWIR image sensors are expected to be applied to foreign matter inspection, as they can detect differences in substances that are difficult with visible light alone, by utilizing the light absorption and reflection characteristics of the SWIR band light.