A method for identifying capsule defects in a tobacco filter includes measuring values for density and/or moisture content of the filter using a microwave measurement device. The measured values are compared with a threshold value and a presence of a capsule defect in the filter is determined if the measured valued undershoots the threshold value. A value for a degree of fluctuation of the measured values is determined at a region in front of a measurement location and/or behind the measurement location in which at least one measured value is below the threshold value. The value for the degree of fluctuation is compared with a predetermined capsule threshold value. The capsule defect comprises a broken capsule when the value for the degree of fluctuation exceeds the capsule threshold value, and the capsule defect comprises a missing capsule when the value for the degree of fluctuation undershoots the capsule threshold value.

Smoking-related article inspection systems and associated methods are disclosed herein. In some aspects, the systems include an x-ray imaging device configured to capture at least one image of the smoking-related articles, a smoking-related article transporting device configured to sequentially introduce the smoking-related articles into the imaging zone; and an analysis unit in communication with the x-ray imaging device and configured to analyze the at least one image captured by the x-ray imaging device for each of the smoking-related articles, the analysis unit being configured to execute: an inspection tool to determine values for one or more parameters of each of the smoking-related articles based on the analysis of the at least one image; and a comparison tool to determine an acceptability of the smoking-related articles for further processing based on comparing the determined values for the one or more parameters to ideal values for the one or more parameters.

A process for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in a manufactured product, the process comprising adding a fluorescent taggant to oils or lubricants contained in processing machinery for the product, irradiating the product with radiation, such as infrared or ultraviolet radiation, and detecting radiation emitted from the irradiated product.

An inspection device for the quality control of rod-shaped smoking articles includes a drum and an inspection assembly. Each transfer drum has a succession of peripheral retaining portions, each having a retaining groove aligned with the axis of rotation of the transfer drum and configured to receive a respective smoking article to be inspected. Each inspection assembly, which is rotatable about the axis of rotation of the transfer drum, is equipped with a succession of detectors. Each detector has a cavity configured to insertably receive an end portion of the respective smoking article to be inspected and is equipped with a sensor adapted to detect an internal structure within the smoking article. The inspection device also comprises a movement device configured to move each peripheral retaining portion and the corresponding detector reciprocatingly towards and away from each other during the rotation of the transfer drum.

The method and device for checking quality of rod-like products (R, R) for the tobacco industry, wherein the steps are performed of moving rod-like products (R, R) placed in a transport socket (4) of a conveyor (2) along an audit trail (P), checking the quality of a rod-like products (R, R) with a scanning device (5) placed on the audit trail (P), characterized further by rotating the rod-like product (R, R) placed in the transport socket (4), during the step of checking the quality of rod-like products (R, R), using at least one track (7) interacting with a lateral surface (6) of the rod-like products (R, R).

A process for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in the production of an article by adding a Stokes-shifting taggant to an oil or lubricant of a machine utilized to produce the article or a component thereof, irradiating the articles produced with a first wavelength of radiation, and monitoring the articles for emission of radiation at a second wavelength. The taggant can be in the form of a composition containing a Stokes-shifting taggant, which absorbs radiation at a first wavelength and emits radiation at a second wavelength, different from said first wavelength, dissolved or dispersed in an oil or lubricant.

A process for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in the production of an article by adding a Stokes-shifting taggant to an oil or lubricant of a machine utilized to produce the article or a component thereof, irradiating the articles produced with a first wavelength of radiation, and monitoring the articles for emission of radiation at a second wavelength. The taggant can be in the form of a composition containing a Stokes-shifting taggant, which absorbs radiation at a first wavelength and emits radiation at a second wavelength, different from said first wavelength, dissolved or dispersed in an oil or lubricant.

A method of determining the density of an elongate rod of material as it travels in a longitudinal direction through an inspection zone of apparatus for determining the density of an elongate rod of material is disclosed. The method comprises: positioning an X-ray generator of said apparatus to transmit X-rays in a direction across the elongate rod and towards a detector of said apparatus, as the elongate rod travels in a longitudinal direction through said inspection zone of said apparatus; supplying a voltage to the X-ray generator of between 20 to 80 kV to transmit the X-rays at a predetermined intensity; detecting the intensity of the X-rays transmitted through the elongate rod using the detector, and determining a density of the elongate rod based on a comparison of the predetermined and detected intensities. A method of manufacturing tobacco industry products that includes the above inspection method is also disclosed, together with apparatus for determining the density of an elongate rod of material.

This multifilter segment is provided with a plurality of filter segments provided with a plurality of filter materials and inner wrappers respectively covering the outer surfaces of the plurality of filter materials, and an outer wrapper which connects and integrates the plurality of filter segments by being wound around the outer surfaces of the inner wrappers of the plurality of filter segments while the ends of the plurality of filter segments are arranged face-to-face. The inner wrappers of adjacent filter segments have a mutually different CIELab color parameter.

A cigarette filter inspection method of inspecting a solid flavor element to be disposed in a void between two filter plugs placed in outer filter wrapper, and the cigarette filter inspection method includes an illumination step of irradiating the void with illumination light, an imaging step of obtaining an inspection image of a region containing the void, a filler detection step of detecting the flavor element based on contrast between the void and the flavor element in the inspection image, and an inspection step of inspecting the flavor element detected in the inspection image.