Sappi selects Cognex system for web inspection

JUNE 13-Sappi (Gratkorn, Austria), producer of coated, wood-free fine paper, has integrated the Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA; www.cognex.com) SmartView ICN web-inspection system at its manufacturing facility. The company will use the SmartView ICN system to perform quality inspection on its production of fine paper, which is used in high-quality publications such as annual reports, magazines, and brochures.

The Cognex vision system will inspect the paper for defects such as edge cracks, holes, light spots, oil spots, wrinkles, and dark spots at production speeds of more than 4000 ft/min. SmartView's Winder Advisor system installed at the re-reeler will use the defect information to stop the winder at severe-defect locations, allowing operators to make repairs before the paper goes into the coating machine.

"SmartView allows manufacturers such as Sappi to not only inspect defects at full production speeds, but also to reduce the number of web breaks and increase winder throughput," said Markku Jaaskelainen, general manager of the Cognex Surface Inspection Systems Division. "Process improvements such as these are designed to enhance a company's efficiency and product quality, which results in improved overall output."