Machine Vision for Tube End Inspection

JLI vision’s latest generation tube end inspection system satisfies the demand for high-precision inspection which is required in e.g. the solar industry.

By looking at the glass tubes from the ends after cutting, outside and inside diameter, wall thickness, out-of-round, siding, and ovality can be measured with accuracies down to 5 microns. In addition chips, cracks, end-shape glazing thickness, tube length, and bow can be measured by applying more cameras. Hereby defective and off-spec tubes can be rejected before packing.

As an add-on, the system can be equipped with cameras for measuring shoulder dimensions on end-formed tubes.

The system is modular and can be mounted on existing conveyors. Because measurements are done in-line in sync with the conveyor movement, tube handling is very limited and the only modification to the conveyor is to add a “star wheel” or a similar mechanism. A reject device is connected to the system, and statistical information will be available for process control equipment, etc.

By looking at the glass tubes from the ends after cutting, outside and inside diameter, wall thickness, out-of-round, siding, and ovality can be measured with accuracies down to 5 microns. In addition chips, cracks, end-shape glazing thickness, tube length, and bow can be measured by applying more cameras. Hereby defective and off-spec tubes can be rejected before packing.