Industries
Errevi Ceramics, a company specializing in automation for the ceramics industry, asked Eoptis to develop a solution for measuring the dimensional consistency of the finished product; the more regular the tiles are, the higher the quality of the product, thus enabling perfect installation.
The solution had to be integrated into the production line, since in the ceramics industry the focus is not on individual machines but on the entire production process: from kilns to squaring machines, up to the metrological machine that classifies the product based on its actual measurements compared with the intended specifications.
The grinding phase is crucial, carried out by squaring machines using diamond grinding wheels to finish the sides of the tiles. Typically, the tile is ground on two sides, rotated, and ground on the other two sides. However, the rotation is never perfect, and the result is tiles with varying degrees of imperfection, which must be measured in order to be classified based on their commercial value.
“A measurement system that integrates four cameras moved and positioned near the corners of the tile as it moves along the line. A complete solution based on advanced metrology and machine learning techniques.”
The first challenge was to meet the client’s request for extremely high spatial resolution, that is, a measurement of the diagonal to the nearest tenth of a millimeter. A second challenge was to implement the measurement in an innovative way, using a system of four cameras moving on three linear axes controlled by a PLC to handle the format change; each of the cameras frames one corner of the tile and knows the position of the other corners.
A third challenge was the self-learning capability: a Machine Learning (ML) layer was added for defect analysis, so that it could infer whether or not there was a chipping based on irregularities in the edges.
Eoptis provided the client with a complete solution capable of precise and rapid sorting of production output; the solution is based on an industrial PC with Eoptis providing the interface. Benefits include increased overall efficiency and reduced time-to-market. The Eoptis solution allows tiles to travel at a higher speed after the squaring phase, and data logging capabilities are included. The tile can be immediately assessed for quality and discarded if necessary.
The system is accessible remotely, allowing the client to provide support to plants even thousands of kilometers away from Italy. It is possible to perform self-diagnostics on wear parts: by examining aggregate daily, weekly, and monthly production figures, it is possible to determine when to take preventive action to replace the grinding wheels that square the tiles, the components responsible for rotation, and other components subject to wear, anticipating problems related to usage. After all, thanks to the client’s production lines, several square kilometers of tiles can be produced in a single day, and preventing machine downtime is almost as crucial as in the automotive industry.
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