The invention relates to a method for checking the quality of a product (1) comprising at least two cardboard portions (2) connected to each other such that a slot (10) extends between the cardboard portions from one side of the product (1) to the opposite side, with the slot (10) being expected to extend perpendicularly with respect to an outer edge of the product (1), comprising the steps of: capturing a 2D image of the slot (10) at one side of the product (1) and of the slot at the opposite side of the product, analyzing the images so as to recognize the slot (10), comparing the positions of the slot of one product at the opposite sides, making a determination whether or not a difference between the positions is within a predefined range of tolerance.

The invention further relates to a machine for checking the quality of a product (1) made from at least two cardboard portions (2) connected to each other such that a slot (10) extends from one side of the product to the opposite side, with the slot being expected to extend perpendicularly with respect to an outer edge of the product, the machine comprising two cameras (304) adapted for capturing a 2D image in a stacking area for stacking the products, an image processing module (306) adapted for recognizing in the captured images the position of the slot on the two sides of the product, and an offset determination module (310) adapted for determining the amount of offset between the position of the slots at the opposite sides of the product.

The invention relates to a method for illuminating a wood fibre web for deviation detection. The method comprises turning on LEDs of an overhead sidelight that are side-directed towards a first edge of the web for illuminating a first half of width of the web, capturing an image of the first half, turning off the LEDs, turning on LEDs of the overhead sidelight that are side-directed towards a second edge of the web for illuminating a second half of width of the web, capturing an image of the second half, and turning off the LEDs. The invention also relates to an overhead sidelight, a machine vision system, and a lighting system.

The present invention has disclosed a multifunctional automatic quality inspection machine and a control method thereof. The machine comprises a frame, an unrolling device provided at the frame, an inspection mechanism, a button operating platform, a slitting mechanism, a main controller, a display device, and a rolling device; a paper movement route is provided between the unrolling device and the rolling device; the inspection mechanism and the display device are respectively electrically connected to the main controller; the rolling device includes a first rolling airshaft, a second rolling airshaft, and a rolling drive device; the first rolling airshaft and the second rolling airshaft are provided on the rolling drive device; the first rolling airshaft and the second rolling airshaft swap their positions via the rolling drive device. The machine has a number of functions including automatic unrolling, high inspection precision, discharging waste materials, splitting and quick rolling.

A cardboard sheet defect detection device is for detecting a defect of a single-faced cardboard sheet guided by a guide member outside a corrugated core. The cardboard sheet defect detection device includes an irradiation device that irradiates the core with light at an irradiation angle inclined as much as a preset predetermined angle with respect to the single-faced cardboard sheet; an imaging device that images an irradiated portion of the light in the core; an image processing device that defines a bright section or a dark section along a transport direction of the single-faced cardboard sheet, based on a captured image captured by the imaging device; and a determination device that determines a quality by comparing a length of the bright section or a length of the dark section which is defined by the image processing device with a preset determination value.

A quality control station (2) for a sheet element processing machine, having at least one camera (6) arranged for capturing images of sheet elements (4) transported through the quality control station (2), and further having an illumination unit (5) with at least one light emitter (16) and two reflectors (12, 14), the illumination unit (5) directing light onto a viewing area of the camera (6) such that the illumination intensity is constant despite changing media thickness. An illumination unit for such quality control station is disclosed.

Provided are a printing result inspection apparatus, a method, and a program capable of determining a printing defect caused by a printing step and a printing paper defect caused by printing paper by reading the printing paper once. A defect determination unit determines whether defected regions extracted from a non-image region are the printing defect or the printing paper defect based on a density change amount and a color, and an image feature amount of a defected region determined as the printing paper defect in the non-image region is stored in paper defect information and is accumulated in a paper defect information storage unit. Next, the defect determination unit determines whether defected regions extracted from image regions are the printing defect or the printing paper defect based on the paper defect information.

The disclosed embodiments illustrate a thermal printer apparatus that includes a media sensor. The sensor generates an input signal indicative of a measure of a media transmissivity/reflectivity. Further, the thermal printer includes a processor that is configured to receive the input signal from the sensor, while the media is stationary with respect to a print head. The processor further determines one or more characteristics of the input signal. Thereafter, a first transmissivity/reflectivity threshold is determined based on the one or more characteristics in the input signal. Further, the processor receives the input signal from the sensor, while the media traverses with respect to the print head. Subsequently, the processor determines one or more current characteristics of the input signal while the media traverses with respect to the print head. A media jam condition is detected based on the one or more current characteristics and the first transmissivity/reflectivity threshold.

Provided are a printing result inspection apparatus, a method, and a program capable of determining a printing defect caused by a printing step and a printing paper defect caused by printing paper by reading the printing paper once. A printing result inspection apparatus 10 accepts designation of paper defect information used for determining a defected region through an operation unit 14. A defect determination unit 24 determines whether defected regions D10, D12, and D14 extracted from a non-image region A10 are the printing defect or the printing paper defect based on designated paper defect information, a density change amount, and a color, and an image feature amount of a defected region determined as the printing paper defect in the non-image region A10 is stored in paper defect information I10 and is accumulated in a paper defect information storage unit 30. The defect determination unit 24 performs the determination of defected regions D20 and D22 extracted from image regions A20 and A22 based on the designated paper defect information, stored paper defect information relating to printing paper P10 being inspected, and the paper defect information I10.

Card-handling devices may include an input area sized and shaped to receive cards and an output area for outputting at least some of the cards. A defect detection system may be located along a card path downstream from the input area. The defect detection system may include an emitter positioned and oriented to direct radiation toward a major surface of a card as the card moves along the card path. A detector may be positioned and configured to detect the radiation emitted by the emitter and reflected from the major surface of the card as the card moves along the card path. A controller may be operatively connected to the detector and configured to correlate a signal from the detector with an identification of a degree to which the major surface of the card has deviated from a reference plane.

In an example, a surface inspection apparatus includes a light source to illuminate a portion of a surface in a print apparatus, a light detection apparatus and processing circuitry. The light detection apparatus may receive diffusely reflected light and specularly reflected light from the portion of the surface, and may comprise a detection element for detecting the specularly reflected light. The processing circuitry may comprise a comparison module to determine a relationship between an intensity of the detected diffusely reflected light and the detected specularly reflected light and a quality module to evaluate if the surface meets a quality criterion based on the relationship.