Machine vision and track & trace in the tobacco industry
In the tobacco industry, traceability, marking and fast identification play a particularly important role.
Camera-based code readers and machine vision systems capture products during production, packaging, aggregation and logistics.
In the EU, tobacco products must carry unique identifiers under the track & trace system. Since 20 May 2024 the system applies not only to cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco but to all covered tobacco product categories.
Code reading at high speed
Production and packaging lines run at high cycle rates.
Readers have to capture codes reliably, even with:
- small codes
- high speed
- changing positions
- different pack sizes
Unique identifier
Under the EU traceability system, every relevant unit pack carries a unique identifier.
It is provided via a machine-readable data carrier and can be captured with suitable code readers.
Aggregation
Alongside individual packs, larger packaging or transport units can be identified and linked to one another.
This supports traceability across the different packaging levels.
Packaging inspection
Cameras can additionally check:
- Is the packaging complete?
- Is the print correct?
- Is the code present?
- Is the code readable?
- Is it the right variant?
- Is the packaging damaged?
OCR
Plain text can be verified in addition to the machine-readable marking.
Typical applications:
- product information
- production data
- serial information
- batches
Code quality
At high production speeds it is often not enough to establish that a code was read once.
Parameters such as the following can also be monitored:
- contrast
- module size
- focus
- print quality
- code position
Typical components
- industrial code readers
- high-speed smart cameras
- area scan cameras
- lenses
- strobe lighting
- diffuse lighting
- trigger and encoder equipment
- industrial communication interfaces
Looking for a reader for a track & trace application?
Tell us the code type, module size, conveyor speed, field of view and working distance.
We will work out together which reader and lighting combination fits your application.