Bottle Level Inspection System
An industrial vision-based system that detects underfilled or overfilled bottles on a high-speed production line. The solution captures real-time images, evaluates liquid level based on predefined thresholds, and rejects non-compliant units using a pneumatic diverter.
Project Overview
The system monitors transparent bottles as they move along the conveyor. A high-speed camera positioned above or beside the line captures the liquid level inside each bottle. Custom software analyzes each frame and determines whether the fill level is within acceptable bounds. If the level is too low or too high, the bottle is flagged for rejection and a pneumatic actuator diverts it from the main line. The system supports dynamic threshold adjustment and visual feedback through a touchscreen interface.
Problem Statement
Manual monitoring of liquid levels was inaccurate and labor-intensive. Small variations in fill level often went undetected, leading to customer complaints, product recalls, and regulatory compliance issues. High-speed lines made manual intervention impractical.
Solution Architecture
- Transparent PET/HDPE bottles conveyed under inspection station
- Side-mounted high-speed camera captures images at 60 FPS
- Image processing detects liquid boundary and compares to acceptable fill height
- Threshold logic determines whether bottle is accepted or rejected
- Rejection signal sent to PLC which actuates a pneumatic diverter
- Touchscreen HMI allows adjustment of fill-level thresholds and review of past rejections
- Optional integration with SCADA system for central monitoring
Key Features
High-speed real-time detection for continuous bottling lines
Accurate fill-level recognition using calibrated visual markers
Pneumatic ejection for non-conforming bottles
Adaptive thresholding to accommodate bottle variation
Touchscreen interface for operator controls and system feedback
Modular setup adaptable to various bottle shapes and sizes
Data logging of rejections and batch performance
Results Achieved
100% detection accuracy for underfilled bottles
Eliminated manual inspection entirely
Improved consistency of product quality
Reduced risk of customer complaints and returns
Faster and cleaner line operation with no bottlenecks from re-inspection
Solution Flowchart
