Gerhard Schubert has introduced a compact solution to its existing line of products, launching a new tracking scanner that seamlessly combines the capabilities of both 2D and 3D scanners. This multifunctional tool enhances product recognition on packaging lines.
2D incident light scanners facilitate efficient color and surface inspections, while 3D scanners assess height—especially vital when dealing with stacked products. The camera-based inspection technology adeptly verifies the shape, dimensions, and other critical parameters of various products during the packaging process.
The primary focus remains on product positioning and quality detection, with a notable advancement in design. “Instead of manufacturing scanners of different sizes as we have done in the past, we are working on a 600-millimetre-wide standard module,” explains Greb. This innovation simplifies maintenance and cleaning procedures. “As a result, we are on track to significantly expand our lead in the field of image processing.”
Gerhard Schubert boasts four decades of groundbreaking technological advancements in image processing, which have considerably influenced the packaging sector. This pioneering journey commenced in the mid-1980s through a visionary collaboration with the Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Centre. Today, four decades later, the company offers a diverse portfolio that continues to grow, with plans for even more compact solutions that merge 2D and 3D scanning technologies.
Schubert’s image processing solutions are integral to its efficient quality assurance systems. Over the past 40 years, the company has optimized and integrated versatile scanners into around 1,000 packaging machines globally.
“Schubert scanners are now standard equipment on pick & place packaging lines,” states Daniel Greb, head of image processing at Schubert. “Our solutions play a crucial role in enhancing product quality and safety within the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and animal feed industries.”
Schubert’s global success in image processing is rooted in an innovative idea conceived by two visionary scientists, brought to Crailsheim from Karlsruhe in the mid-1980s. Dr. Abdelmalek Nasraoui and Dr. Josef Pecht have significantly contributed to establishing and advancing contemporary image processing at Schubert. The development began with the Pattern Considering System (Pacos), evolving into increasingly faster and more precise solutions. Pacos designed for packaging small parts recognized randomly located objects on product conveyors, making it ideal for pick & place applications perfected by Schubert over the years.
In the late 1980s, line sensors marked a critical evolution. Unlike traditional cameras, these sensors are less influenced by optical anomalies and can capture the complete product flow. Schubert successfully integrated these into the first scanner, leading to the development of multiple variants and resulting in the well-regarded solutions utilized worldwide today.
