by DPS Magazine Staff
Print inspection systems are essential for industries where flawless print quality and stringent traceability are non-negotiable. “It is the only way to ensure that only 100 percent inspected packaging enters the goods cycle from the print shop,” shares Dr. André Schwarz, director of marketing and documentation, EyeC GmbH.
This is particularly important for print shops that supply the pharmaceutical, food, and luxury goods industries, where quality and exact conformity with the print template are crucial to ensure safety, maintain brand quality, and comply with regulatory requirements.
James Hermanowski, VP, marketing; Haroon Abbu, SVP digital technology and data analytics; and Mark Paul, VP, product development, Bell and Howell point out that several industries rely on track and trace verification systems. For transactional mail production it is used to ensure that a credit card bill contains only the pages relating to that particular customer. In direct mail it is used as proof of compliance with the project requirements.
For pharmacy packaging equipment, vision technology may also be combined with technology to uniquely serialize the items to further enable tracking/tracing and prevent counterfeiting.
Ecommerce packaging equipment also utilizes vision-based track and trace systems. “With respect to labeling, vision systems with track/trace capability ensure that the products are actually in the boxes with the proper address and other markings and shipped properly from the warehouse,” comment Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul.
In some cases, they note that printing is done on the box for branding or customer personalization purposes where vision systems ensure quality production and verify the correct images/personalization are used.
Components of Track and Trace Vision System
Several elements make up a complete camera-based track and trace system for print and packaging. Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul break it down for us.
The first component falls under vision hardware and includes cameras and lighting. These industrial cameras offer high-resolution line scan or area scan to capture images of printed materials, labels, or packages in motion.
“Area scan camera technology is better suited for production environments that have more sporadic, variable speed throughputs,” note Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul.
These camera types capture a high-resolution image of a defined area instantly, as opposed to scanning an entire document or product. The flexible configuration allows for rapid, hassle-free installation, anywhere on a piece of equipment. The area scan inspection system is also capable of customized, multi-camera implementations.
Line scan camera technology is ideal for high-speed continuous motion production environments. “Line scan technology uses a single row of pixels to build a high-resolution image of an entire document. Using this system, we can customize a solution that allows for multiple regions of interest to be captured simultaneously with one camera in a single pass,” explain Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul.
Additionally, track and trace vision-based verification systems will feature illumination. This includes controlled lighting—LED, strobe, backlight—to enhance, contrast, and ensure consistent image quality regardless of ambient conditions.
Marking and coding devices serve as input for tracking. Printers and coders apply unique identifiers such as barcodes, quick response (QR) codes, or human-readable text. The systems utilize inkjet, thermal transfer, and laser coders.
Vision software and algorithms are used for image processing for decoding, pattern recognition, and OCR. They are able to decode barcodes/quick response codes, verify print quality, and check for correct positioning; identify logos, shapes, or unique product features; and reads and confirm variable data such as batch numbers or expiration dates.
A control system or programmable logic controller interfaces with cameras, conveyors, ejectors, or sorters for real-time automation decisions like reject a faulty print and triggers and sensors detect product position and trigger the camera at the right moment.
Data management and serialization components feature a unique ID assignment, where each item gets a unique identifier for traceability; database integration links images and data to a centralized tracking system; and an audit trail maintains full records for compliance and quality assurance.
The user interface or HMI features live monitoring where operators can view images, logs, alerts, and production data and a manual override that allows users to interact with the system or resolve errors.
Connectivity and reporting offers data integration and reporting tools. The data is able to communicate with upstream/downstream systems and reporting tools generate logs, error reports, and compliance documents.
Compliance and security features—as needed—offer tamper detection by verifying packing integrity and regulatory compliance of items like pharmaceutical or food-grade packaging.
Camera Selection
Many print press companies offer built-in, real-time solutions to address color correction, print registration related items, as well as defects. Some offer solutions for checking variable data accuracy as well. “These systems may be options. However, in-line solutions exist, which can be connected with digital presses. Companies such as Tecnau have established solutions which can offer more capabilities and/or flexibility than built-in approaches,” note Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul.
Camera system selection is a highly technical matter, which may depend on inspection requirements—barcodes, text, optical character recognition, B&W versus color, quality checks, artwork validation, print registration, etc.—as well as the type of press it will be integrated with, speed of operation, and other factors such as resolution, field of view, pixel size and sensor type, software integration needs, environmental and mechanical considerations, and existing partnerships, explain Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul.
Furthermore, they point out that printing is often at the start of the process, while certain inspections, especially track/trace, usually occur further down the line and ideally at the very end of the process. “Using mail production as an example, a monthly credit card statement is printed first and then fed into mail inserting equipment. Although the printer may have built-in or an add-on camera system, camera verification hardware and software sits in the mail inserting equipment to make certain only the correct pages are bundled together and then inserted into the correct envelope and perhaps verified again further down the line to ensure every bill statement has been processed.”
Consequently, these image processing solutions sit in equipment that may be connected to the printer but not necessarily to the printer itself. “The complexity of multi-step processes described in the above example requires robust factory automation software to collect, analyze, and organize the vast amounts of data being generated at very high speeds. The databases supporting these image processing solutions must meet very stringent requirements, various workflow, and operate in a real-time data processing environment. Finally, this software needs a robust reporting capability to generate the data as necessary to support the tracing and verification process,” say Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul.
Many camera systems easily integrate into existing workflows, Schwarz says this means no existing machines need to be replaced, and you don’t have to worry about restrictions from the inspection system. “Thanks to our modular approach, you can upgrade a standard EyeC ProofRunner system at any time to a Highlight system for highly refined packaging or to a Highlight UHD system for the highest demands.”
Retrofitting Options
EyeC’s ProofRunner systems can be easily retrofitted to existing machines, whether on the printing machine or finishing equipment such as a rewinder or folder gluer. “We are not tied to specific manufacturers and work collaboratively with our customers to develop a suitable solution,” says Schwarz.
Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul say retrofitting is possible, however, the level of effort may depend on the specific requirements and the equipment where the vision/verification systems will be installed. “The fact that our systems can be built up in a modular way using building blocks to create the necessary data capture, workflows, and reporting makes it straightforward. Meanwhile, the aspects around mechanical installation may require some specific hardware to hold the cameras and other components. Alternatively, depending on the requirements, an in-line solution such as mentioned previously can offer an excellent solution.”
AI Integration
When it comes to critical systems where tracking, tracing, and/or verification are required, Hermanowski, Abbu, and Paul say decisions based on clear cut data are necessary. “For example, there may be little room for error in decisions around printing and serialization processes involving medications or around processing of financial or health information. Consequently, there must be constraints on where artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning is implemented because to some extent these systems can be very good at extrapolation or finding new signals, but they are not perfect and could create as a normal part of their functioning an undesired result. However, AI has a prominent role in diverting or separating suspect items for further human review, enabling real-time analytics and intelligence supporting the equipment’s performance as well as empowering the people who are servicing that equipment with new capabilities.”
EyeC is using AI in the latest version of its software, taking it a step beyond simple error detection, according to Schwarz. “Not only do we identify errors, but we also classify them. For example, the software displays only those errors that are relevant and can be corrected during the printing process. Irrelevant errors, such as material inclusions or dust, are registered but can be hidden if desired, allowing attention to be directed toward the desired error types. Additionally, the error classifications provide insights into the machine’s maintenance status and the quality of the substrate used, paving the way for preventive maintenance. An immense advantage of our solution is that customers receive pre-trained systems, enabling them to work productively right from the start.”
Vision Systems
A range of camera-based vision systems are available for the print and packaging industry.
For example, Bell and Howell’s JETVision Camera Verification Hardware Systems can be comprised of a range of high-speed area scan and line scan camera technologies, including Contact Imaging Sensors (CIS).
Bell and Howell’s JETVision Camera Verification Hardware Systems comprise a large part of the high-speed data collection and document integrity verification technology. It’s unique approach to data capture in a line-by-line manner allows unprecedented image capture when it is specifically used for data analysis.
The data from its JETVision systems along with other data is then ingested by iQ Software Suite. iQ can then be used to manage and report on key metrics at the item level—for example, compliance reporting; the production level—for example, operational reporting on utilization, batch, job, order, and operator tracking; and metrics—reporting on data required for capability such as pay-for-performance). Quality assurance checks can be implemented to verify print integrity (print marks, color, smeared output, etc.)
Additionally, Bell and Howell’s solution is unique in its ability to normalize disparate data elements to enable analytics and high-quality reporting that competing solutions lack.
EyeC also offers a complete solution, covering prepress, the printing process, and sample control. “This means customers receive a seamlessly coordinated system rather than a solution made from individually purchased components. For over twenty years, we have been a reliable partner in the market, supported by worldwide service teams and a broad range of systems. As mentioned earlier, our AI approach plays an increasingly important role in evolving our technology—from error detection to error classification and ultimately to a tool that monitors and influences the condition of the machine. With our pre-trained ProofRunner AI, customers receive a unique solution that directly saves labor and machine time, thereby enhancing production efficiency even, for the most demanding jobs,” says Schwarz.
With the EyeC ProofRunner and Proofiler product lines, print shops can maintain strict adherence to design specifications and regulatory standards while optimizing their production processes.
Track and Trace
Several industries look to track and trace verification systems to ensure quality and compliance. The complexity of the tasks required of these systems depend on the specific market.
May2025, DPS Magazine
