Case Study - Customer Requirements Drive the Need for Automation
The Issue
X Packaging – a major player in the blow-molded bottle industry – has been supplying their largest customer with labeled detergent bottles to be filled and eventually sold at a major box store. Multiple times over a 6-month time period, the box refused shipments because of poor label quality.
There have also been multiple complaints about issues with the detergent bottle’s pour spout leaking or being incorrectly positioned.
Standard Responses are Unproductive
In response to their key customer complaints, X Packaging required 2 people per shift – one on each side of the line – to inspect both the front and back labels as the bottles were pushed down the line. In total, they hired 4 people to ensure 24/7 production.
Right out of the gate, the hiring plan showed its weaknesses. The line was shut down multiple times due to one or more of the inspectors not showing up to work. When the workers were manually inspecting products, they were catching big flaws on the bottles but missing small issues such as wrinkles, tears, and blisters obscuring important information on the labels.
Complaints and returned shipments kept coming, and it became clear – More Labor was NOT the Answer.
Automation Resolves the Problem
X-Packaging’s plant manager reached out to Michael H. at kmV to discuss the challenges they faced and invited him to come to the plant to watch their process in action (Applied Automation audit). Through the Applied Automation Audit, X Packaging leaders and kmV found that kmV’s iSight 20/20 Label Inspector+ system fits their needs perfectly.
The turnkey iSight 20/20 Label inspector+ vision solution would easily provide 100% inspection of the bottles’ front and rear labels. Adding a third camera would allow the system to reliably verify that the pour spout had been seated properly as well.
With kmV’s Smart A.I. Tools deployed, not only was the plant able to spot gross label placement issues, they were able to identify wrinkles, bubbles, and tears on the labels that human inspectors would never be able to spot.
Outcomes
Since the inspection system was installed, 100% of the bottles have been inspected and no more shipments have been returned. No-show workers have not caused a shutdown of production. X-Packaging realized an ROI of 6 months based on 4 inspector positions and savings realized from no returned shipments.
Ordering kmV’s standard iSight 20/20 Label Inspector shortened their deployment time and saved money by avoiding development time.
kmV Offers Real Impacts on Real Business.
Examples of Label Defects Found
While the iSight 20/20 Label Inspector+'s main goal is to inspect label placement and gross label defects on gallon sized detergent bottles, it proves to be excellent at finding smaller production issues that were never detectable before - helping technicians find and fix small issues before the become big problems!
Interested? Let's get in touch!
If you've got a project that you're working on or have questions about the iSight 20/20 Label Inspector, contact us today!