Do you have an automated inspection process that uses high speed inspection cameras? Do you also have problems with accumulated dust within the inspection system?  False reads causing rejects that otherwise would go on through as good product?

I was able to work on an application recently that had this exact problem. The application was for cardboard packaging used for medical products. Large sheets of printed cardboard are die cut and stacked so they can go through a subsequent high-speed vision inspection.

The first part of the application was at the exit of the die cutting machine. The cutting action produced the dust that was then transferred to the inspection machine. Implementation of an 18″ Super Air Knife at the die cutting machine blew away the bulk of the dust and any “hanging chads” that might have remained on the packaging.

The second part of the application was to provide an airflow to again blow onto the cards and the belts moving them through the inspection process. We used a 2″ wide flat Super Air Nozzle at the feeder. When we first turned the nozzle on, a large cloud of dust came up out of the machine. It was no wonder the customer was having problems. The housekeeping (or lack there of rather) was much less than what was necessary.

So, after a quick cleaning with a vacuum cleaner and installation of the Air Knife and the flat air nozzle, the customer was experiencing rejects only for such actual things as registration errors and color. There was still the occasional spec that would still get through, but the reduction in scrap material from 30% to less than 6% was a notable improvement as far as the customer was concerned.

Again, just another application idea for those of you out there who may be having the same sort of problem.

Neal Raker
Application Engineer
nealraker@exair.com