Production Line Sorting: Accurate, Fast Non-Contact Measurement

Smart camera based telecentric measuring system quickly and accurately sorts cartridge cases.

Established in 1828, this British manufacturer is the world leader in .22 calibre rimfire ammunition, with its flagship product sold in more than 130 countries. Its top range product needed cartridge cases sorted by length, rim diameter, thickness and damage — at tolerances standard lenses and lighting couldn't reach.

Cases feed from a bowl feeder via a linear feeder to a star wheel, which holds each case vertically by the rim. A Vision & Control Pictor smart camera with a telecentric lens takes a silhouette image against a telecentric backlight, sorting parts into good, rim good, and fail — so length failures can still be used for lower-grade production, limiting overall scrap.

Brass is reflective enough that standard lenses and backlights can't hold these tolerances; telecentric optics remove that problem, and sub-pixel inspection (edge, best-fit line, line-edge and edge-edge measurement) does the rest. FS Systems worked with Birmingham-based MKL Automation to build the star wheel inspection system with bowl feed input.