Vial stopper seating and crimp inspection
While the vial is rotated 360° about its axis, two side cameras image the cap area. The images are stitched into an unwrapped skirt strip; the circumferential profile of the lower skirt edge and the stopper seating height are compared with tolerance.
Stopper height and skirt deviation are logged per vial; an out-of-tolerance vial is pushed onto the reject tray with its puck at the next step, and the unwrapped strip and profile are shown on the operator display.
- 01 Infeed
- 02 360° scan
- 03 Edge analysis
- 04 Decide
Vials arrive at the station step by step on rotating pucks; when the photo-sensor sees the puck the spin starts.
- Angle scanned
- —
- Stopper height
- —
- Skirt deviation
- —
Scenes are illustrative simulations; they are not customer references or performance guarantees.
Need
The aluminium skirt is glossy and cylindrical; a single view shows only one face, and a skewed cap or flared skirt can hide on the far side. The deviation of the skirt edge is below a millimetre, and glare shows the edge in the wrong place.
Solution approach
The vial makes one full turn on its puck, driven by a friction wheel; two cameras 90° apart read the cap area under ring light, so each angle is seen head-on. The slices are stitched in angle order into an unwrapped skirt strip, where the lower skirt edge is traced into a deviation profile. The height from neck flange to cap top is measured; both values are compared with the tolerance band.
Process steps
- 01
Infeed
Vials arrive at the station step by step on rotating pucks; when the photo-sensor sees the puck the spin starts.
- 02
360° scan
The vial is rotated; two cameras image the cap area around the circumference.
- 03
Edge analysis
In the unwrapped strip the lower skirt edge is traced and the stopper height gauged.
- 04
Decide
Edge profile and height are compared with the tolerance band.
Related applications
Let us assess your application together
We test your sample in our laboratory and report on resolution, optics and lighting selection.