Supermarket tote inspection

The problem

When used supermarket totes are returned to the distribution centre they are required to be de-nested and put through a washing cycle. Totes are then restacked ready for re-use. This is currently a costly, manual operation with little control over the orientation and sequence of up to 15 different tote designs passing along a single conveyor line. This may lead to inadequate washing and a risk that different tote designs are restacked together forming an unstable column. Tote identification using bar code labels is not possible in wet processes.

The solution

Sigmavision has developed a laser based tote identification system that may be robot mounted or mounted above a conveyer as part of an automated line. The system is able to generate and complete 3D profile of a tote either by the robot moving the laser sensor over a tote stack or the conveyor transporting individual totes beneath the laser sensor. In both case a 3D profile of the tote is obtained using laser sheet of light technology that is fast (200Hz) and is independent of ambient light. Read more