A fruits sorting apparatus includes: a conveyance device configured to convey a plurality of charged fruits from a detection area located on an upstream side to a sorting area disposed on a downstream side; an imaging device configured to photograph the fruits in the detection area of the conveyance device; a processor configured to detect a rotten fruit and a nonstandard fruit having an irregular shape or size based on images of the fruits and vegetables imaged by the imaging device; and a robot configured to pick up the rotten fruit and the nonstandard fruit detected by the processor in the sorting area.

Provided are a microparticle sorting device, and a method and a program for sorting microparticles capable of stabilizing sorting performance over a prolonged period of time. The microparticle sorting device includes an imaging element and a controller. The imaging element obtains an image of fluid and fluid droplets at a position where the fluid discharged from an orifice which generates a fluid stream is converted into the fluid droplets. The controller controls driving voltage of an oscillation element which gives oscillation to the orifice and/or controls a position of the imaging element based on a state of the fluid in the image and/or a state of a satellite fluid droplet. The satellite fluid droplet does not include microparticles and exists between the position, where the fluid is converted into the fluid droplets, and a fluid droplet, among fluid droplets including the microparticles, which is closest to the position where the fluid is converted into the fluid droplets.

The invention relates to a method of optically reading portions in relief on a side wall of a container (14), the method consisting in: using a light source to light a portion of interest with a peripheral incident light beam comprising non-parallel radial light rays; using specular reflection of the beam on the portion of interest and on the portions in relief (12) through an optical element (30) to form a plane image in the field of view of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor (24); processing the image received by the sensor in order to detect the portions in relief; and causing the light source (34) that provides the peripheral incident light beam to move relative to the optical element in translation along the direction of the theoretical central axis (A1) in order to modify the contrast of the image received by the sensor between zones of the image that correspond to the portions in relief, and adjacent zones.

The invention also provides a visualisation device and a corresponding inspection line.

A parts inspection system for automated video inspection for quality control processes. The inspection system is particularly adapted for rotationally symmetrical workpieces including small arms ammunition cartridges. The system provides a first array of light sources oriented radially around the workpiece path presenting zones of illumination on the workpiece at discrete radial positions. A second illuminator is in the form of linear arrays of light emitting elements oriented along linear arrays. A camera oriented to observe images of light provided by the first and second arrays records video images of the workpieces for use in resolving criteria of acceptable and unacceptable parts. An escapement mechanism moves acceptable and rejected parts into different parts streams.

A device and a method for processing parent parts and for sorting waste parts thereby separated. For this purpose, an optical detection unit is provided, which is configured to detect at least one geometric feature G of each waste part and to generate a control signal S corresponding to the at least one detected geometric feature G. The control signal S is transmitted to a sorting unit. The fed waste part is sorted depending on the received control signal S. It is thus possible to assign the separated waste parts to a specific parent part. This in turn enables an assignment and determination of the material of which the waste part consists, which specifically corresponds to the material of which the parent part consists. This enables the waste parts to be separated into different categories.

A machine vision system for automatically identifying and inspecting objects is disclosed, including composable vision-based recognition modules and a decision algorithm to perform the final determination on object type and quality. This vision system has been used to develop a Projectile Identification System and an Automated Tactical Ammunition Classification System. The technology can be used to create numerous other inspection and automated identification systems.

Chopped fiber composite systems and methods are disclosed. Sorting systems include a conveyor, an imager, a plurality of receptacles, a pneumatic device, and controller. Molding systems include a conveyor, an imager, a mold, a pneumatic device, and a controller. The controller directs the pneumatic device to alter the freefall of chopped fiber composite pieces based on characteristics of the chopped fiber composite pieces as they drop from the conveyor and into a receptacle or a mold. Sorting and molding methods include dropping chopped fiber composite pieces, detecting characteristics of the dropping pieces, and directing the pieces based on the detected characteristics.

A high-speed method and system for inspecting a stream of parts using at least one transparent traveling carrier of a conveyor subsystem are provided. The subsystem has a forward reach and a return reach. The method includes controllably receiving a stream of parts in rapid succession on the at least one traveling carrier and utilizing the subsystem to transfer the stream of parts in rapid succession to a part inspection station. The bottom surface of each part is illuminated through its traveling carrier with radiant energy when the part is located at the inspection station to generate reflected radiation signals which travel through its traveling carrier. A bottom image of each illuminated bottom surface is formed from the reflected radiation signals at an imaging location between the forward and return reaches at the inspection station. The bottom images are detected at the imaging location.

An image forming lens is formed by sequentially arranging, from an object side to an image side, a first lens group having positive refractive power, an aperture stop, and a second lens group having positive or negative refractive power. The image forming lens satisfies a conditional expression:
0.15<D1a/D1<0.50, where D1a is an air space between the first positive lens and the second positive lens in the first lens group, and D1 is a distance on an optical axis from an object-side lens surface of the first positive lens to an image-side lens surface of the third positive lens in the first lens group.

A system for removing unstable articles from an automated processing stream includes an automated processing stream with a plurality of processing units including a flow diverter and configured to carry a stream of articles, a vision system, and a control system interfacing with the automated processing stream and the vision system, wherein the vision system is configured to detect positions of an article and to transmit position data to the control system, and wherein the control system is configured, through operation of a processor, to determine an expected position of the article based on a first detected position, compare the expected position to a second detected position of the article, determine a deviation of the second detected position from the expected position, and control the flow diverter to divert the article based on the deviation.