EVT pilots EyeSens Object Counter for ice cream sugar cones
The vision sensor allows for applications with the utmost precision. Many cones are pushed through the machine in a few seconds, while the software checks them for criteria including: any burnt substance; foreign substances within the cones and if the cones are broken.
Cones can become soft and lose their crispiness
Other issues are the sugared cone powder becomes tacky with heat and moist and the cones can become soft and lose their crispiness.
Michael Beising, CEO, EVT, told DairyReporter, the demand for image processing is growing in low-wage countries and it is working with its distributors in China, South Korea and India to expand the business.
“EVT has started to develop smart cameras and a few weeks ago we launched the very first smart thermal imaging camera, the EyeCheck Thermo,” he said.
“One of our clients in Asia had the idea to combine our ZYNQ boards and our software with a European IR camera producer, which resulted in the smart thermal imaging camera.
“It will open up new clients for EVT. With thermal imaging you can “see” more than just the surface of an object, you can almost look “inside”. As it is a smart camera and has the processing already inside it makes it handy and easy to integrate into already existing machines and production lines.
“The development has the advantage that EVT now has the know-how to build a smart camera and will be investing more time and energy into the production of smart cameras.”
The EyeVision software has a drag-and-drop function and no programming skills are needed for creating an inspection program.
Code reading, object counting, IR and 3D inspections
The company provides machine vision software for applications including measurement technology, pattern matching, code reading, object counting, IR and 3D inspections.
Clients come from the automotive and semiconductor industries, food & beverage, metal and plastic, for programmes such as counting fishes, package raisins, sort grain or for checking the fill level in a bottling plant.
“Multi-sensoric is a big challenge - combining color and gray sensors as well as 3D and IR into one housing. In our software we try to find a way to control more than one sensor, and to make it possible to inspect objects with multiple sensors,” added Beising.
“In the next five years we expect to see more sensors for 3D inspection and not standard wavelengths such as e.g. IR, NIR and UV. To connect the sensors this trend requires standards (such as GigE, USB3, etc.) and therefore the client has an optimal solution without having to start developing from scratch.
“The next stage for EVT is putting more resources into systems to detect particles in clean rooms and other surface analysis. We also want to expand into robot guidance.
“There is constant progress in the needs of our clients. We have to learn from their applications how the market is developing. Just a few years ago for example, who would have predicted the growing demand of 3D sensors and evaluation software.
“Our strategy is to adapt to the needs of our clients. To do that we offer whole image processing systems or components of it.”
