The recently launched HiSHIELD Ranger 2 is a camera check detection system for the SmartLine, designed to separately and autonomously inspect the finish, heel, shoulder or base of a glass container for checks.
A patent court has found a patent infringement in the predecessor system “Ranger”. The patent in question is only valid in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Heye has now developed the successor Ranger 2 as an advanced solution without any patent-related restrictions. The Ranger 2 can be used in all countries without infringing patents.
A Ranger 2 system consists of one camera, collecting five images simultaneously via five lenses and fiber optic light guides, the illumination unit and the control unit with the software for image processing, including the decision ‘container okay or not okay’.
The Ranger 2 is fully modular and scalable. If required, the user can start with one system and add any number of parallel systems at any time. A typical and recommended Ranger 2 configuration on a star wheel inspection machine would be four parallel systems, each dedicated to and optimized for one of the following types of checks:
• Horizontal
• Vertical
• Shoulder
• Base
Each system runs independently and does not need to be synchronized with the others, so there is no influence or need to compromise between systems. This allows the individual optimization of all settings and adjustments (illumination, lenses etc) for the respective system and the respective type of check.