When two complex inspection technologies need to operate in the exact same physical space, a standard plug-and-play approach is rarely enough. Getting them to function as a single unit often requires taking things apart – literally. Over the course of a recent three-month project, we did exactly that alongside Inspec.tech, stripping down our standard Spectro device to merge it seamlessly into their pellet inspection machinery.
Founded by Nadav Leshem, Inspec.tech is a leading manufacturer of vision inspection systems for plastic sheets, films, and pellets. Their compact, highly advanced pellet inspection machinery is designed to detect and sort out quality problems such as contamination, variations in size and shape, and color shifts. To elevate their system’s color-measurement capabilities, Nadav approached us to integrate our Spectro unit directly into their material inspection flow.
Under normal circumstances, our Spectro is a standalone unit housed in its own temperature-controlled cabinet, complete with a dedicated PLC and touchscreen for user commands. Inspec.tech’s system, however, already featured its own control screen. We quickly realized that asking an end-user to operate two separate screens for a single inspection process was not the seamless experience either of us wanted to provide.
To solve this, we decided to perform a custom integration. Working closely with Inspec.tech, we completely dismantled the standard Spectro setup. We extracted our core optical components from the Spectro’s cabinet and transferred them into a new enclosure provided by Inspec.tech. The beauty of this process was that it required zero modifications to our actual optics, so the precision of the Spectro remained intact. We then engineered a custom, elongated probe designed specifically to navigate through their existing cabling infrastructure.
The result of this reorganization was a unified, streamlined system: a single, shared touch screen that seamlessly controls both Inspec.tech’s vision cameras and the Spectro.
The physical layout of the inspection process presented an interesting operational challenge. As the plastic granules fall, they are captured by Inspec.tech’s cameras before gathering in a hopper. Our Spectro is positioned strategically above these cameras, continuously analyzing the material’s color before the hopper fills up.
Because the vision cameras rely on flashing strobe lights to capture high-speed images, we faced a potential risk: the sudden flashes could easily interfere with the delicate optical readings of the Spectro. To ensure uncompromising accuracy, a synchronized trigger mechanism was developed. The camera system now sends a direct signal to the Spectro, timing our color measurements perfectly to avoid the flashes. This ensures our optics are never blinded by the camera lights, guaranteeing precise data collection.
Merging two powerful technologies into a single customized cabinet required a careful re-evaluation of thermal management. In any advanced electronic setup, efficient cooling is critical to prevent the hardware from overheating and failing.
Initially, we considered implementing our standard cooling technology. However, given the unique spatial constraints of the new enclosure, Inspec.tech brought forward a custom cooling solution. While it operated somewhat differently than our standard cooling units, it was structurally similar and perfectly suited for his cabinet’s architecture. He took the lead on integrating this cooling solution, proving that the best results come from true, flexible collaboration rather than rigid adherence to proprietary components.
Over the course of roughly three months, we successfully merged two complex systems into one cohesive unit. For us, this project highlights a core capability: we don’t just sell equipment; we provide adaptable technology. By customizing our Spectro, reorganizing our hardware, and working hand-in-hand with Inspec.tech, we delivered a tailored, high-performance solution that exactly matched our partner’s needs.
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