An apparatus and method for manufacturing glass containers handles the containers individually after a hot forming process and annealing to prevent glass-to-glass contact. By handling the containers individually and preventing glass-to-glass contact damage to the containers in the form of checks and scratches is avoided. To prevent contact of the containers and damage arising from the contact, the equipment including conveyors, pushers, starwheels, shuttles, and transfer heads that move the glass containers through the apparatus maintains the glass containers in uniform spaced relationship at each stage of container processing until the containers are packaged.

Methods of autonomous diagnostic verification and detection of defects in the optical components of a vision-based inspection system are provided. The method includes illuminating a light panel with a first light intensity pattern, capturing a first image of the first light intensity pattern with a sensor, illuminating the light panel with a second light intensity pattern different than the first light intensity pattern, capturing a second image of the second light intensity pattern with the sensor, comparing the first image and the second image to generate a comparison of images, and identifying defects in the light panel or the sensor based upon the comparison of images. Systems adapted to carry out the methods are provided as are other aspects.

The invention relates to an installation for optically inspecting containers (2) manufactured by a forming machine at the outlet of which the containers travel by means of a conveyor (5) past at least one inspection device (I) including at least one camera (10) mounted inside a support chamber (11). The installation includes a system for fastening the support chamber (11) on the conveyor (5) in such a manner that the support chamber (11) is positioned on one side of the conveyor and presents, below the conveyor, a low section (11b) in which the camera (10) is mounted, the support chamber (11) also presenting, above the conveyor, a high section (11h) provided with an observation port (15) and in which an optical deflector system (16) is mounted.

A method and a corresponding apparatus for monitoring a drive mechanism of an automated inspection system for inducing motion to a container partially filled with a liquid. The method includes capturing measurement data of a surface of the liquid in the container, extracting form data regarding a form of the surface of the liquid from the measurement data and detecting whether the container is in motion based on the form data. The apparatus includes a measuring device and a processor operationally connected to the measuring device, wherein the measuring device is adapted to capture measurement data of a surface of the liquid in the container, and the processor is adapted to extract form data regarding a form of the surface from the measurement data, to detect whether the container is in motion based on the form data.

The present disclosure relates to a frame for fastening inspection modules for containers. The frame includes a conveyor for the containers and a plurality of rails. The plurality of rails includes a first rail and a second rail arranged on a first side of the conveyor and a third rail and a fourth rail arranged on a second side of the conveyor. Each of the plurality of rails are for the fastening of the inspection modules. The present disclosure further relates to an inspection unit including the frame and at least one of the inspection modules.

3D graphene optical sensors, such as microstructure sensors and nanostructure sensors. The 3D optical sensors include one or more graphene panels shaped to surround an interior, open volume. Graphene plasmons couple across the interior, open volume. The 3D optical sensors can have a polygonal shape or a cylindrical shape.

An apparatus for inspecting a pharmaceutical cylindrical container made of glass or of a polymer is provided. A corresponding method for inspecting the pharmaceutical cylindrical container made of glass or of a polymer and to a bundle of pharmaceutical cylindrical containers made of glass or of a polymer is also provided.

Disclosed are an object damage inspection system and an object damage inspection method using the same. The system includes a vibration exciter for setting a vibration exciting pattern and applying a physical force to one face of the fixed test object based on the set vibration exciting pattern; a sensor contacting a portion of the test object, wherein the sensor collects a vibration signal generated from the test object when the physical force is applied thereto; and a damage determiner configured to determine whether the test object has physical damage, based on a test object measurement frequency signal and a reference object measurement frequency signal, wherein the test object measurement frequency signal includes a frequency domain signal into which the vibration signal collected by the sensor is converted.

Disclosed are an object damage inspection system and an object damage inspection method using the same. The system includes a vibration exciter for setting a vibration exciting pattern and applying a physical force to one face of the fixed test object based on the set vibration exciting pattern; a sensor contacting a portion of the test object, wherein the sensor collects a vibration signal generated from the test object when the physical force is applied thereto; and a damage determiner configured to determine whether the test object has physical damage, based on a test object measurement frequency signal and a reference object measurement frequency signal, wherein the test object measurement frequency signal includes a frequency domain signal into which the vibration signal collected by the sensor is converted.

An apparatus for inspecting a pharmaceutical cylindrical container made of glass or polymer is provided. The apparatus includes a handling device and a friction wheel. The handling device has a first holder that hold a lateral surface of the pharmaceutical cylindrical container. The first holder includes a first support wheel and a second support wheel. The handling device moves such that the pharmaceutical cylindrical container is transferred from a first transfer position to the inspection area and from the inspection area to a second transfer position. The handling device and/or the friction wheel rotate the pharmaceutical cylindrical container around a container longitudinal axis. The first support wheel has a first rotational axis and the second support wheel has a second rotational axis. A first plane is defined through the first rotational axis and the container longitudinal axis, while a second plane is defined through the second rotational axis and the container longitudinal axis. The first and second planes intersect at an angle in a range of 45° to less than 120°.