ISM 2020

••• 7 ••• Messewelten Artificial Intelligence for quality control Latest developments in the packing machines and production technologies sections A t this year’s ProSweet trade fair numerous exhibitors will demonstrate how even complex production and packing processes can be optimised intelligently: for even more quality, efficiency and sustainability. In the scope of its first deep- learning project, the exhibitor Bi- Ber implemented visual product testing for a manufacturer of fine chocolate and wafer products. During the final inspection it is checked that no foreign bodies are contained inside the products and that they correspond with the aes- thetic standards. Hitherto a visual inspection was necessary to carry out this task, because the conven- tional rule-based, automatic image processing (machine vision) could not reliably distinguish between ir- regularly structured surfaces and normal variations. The automatic quality control based on Artifi- cial intelligence (AI) is now to in- crease the recognition reliability. Bi-Ber implemented the Cognex- VisionProViDi software for the de- velopment of this system, which contains an efficient tool for seg- mentation and error recognition only using a few images to train an artificial neural network. The long- term ProSweets Cologne exhibi- tor, VEMAG Maschinenbau GmbH, will demonstrate solutions for the exact shaping and accurate por- tioning of fine doughs as well as for paste-like, pumpable masses. Reliable, automated and quickly convertible production lines are imperative success factors to deal with the continual changeovers of the demanding customer require- ments, both for the trade and for the industry. The Italian exhibitor, IMA, will be presenting the IMA GIMA FTO513, a high-speed wrapping machine for one or several products, which can process up to 300 sheets a minute and offers a host of tech- nically advanced solutions in order to guarantee a forgery-proof, high- quality appearance of the packing. Furthermore, IMA is presenting intelligent solutions for maximis- ing the efficiency of film and sugar coating processes at ProSweets Cologne in the form of its flexible IMA active coating plants and coat- ing machines. Production lines must be quickly convertible for seasonal products. Photo: Koelnmesse / CHOCAL