Microscan, a global technology leader in barcode, machine vision, and lighting solutions, announces the launch of Visionscape® I-PAK® VH, a software solution that brings the capabilities of the company’s latest Vision HAWK Smart Cameras to a simple, adaptable machine vision inspection interface.
Released in 1988 by Itran (an innovator in Microscan’s corporate lineage), I-PAK was originally engineered for label quality inspection in pharmaceutical applications. The software met the needs of the pharmaceutical market impeccably, providing 21 CFR Part 11 compliance through password-protected user roles and tools for package inspection tasks from label presence and position, to date/lot code accuracy, to basic product integrity like cap placement. Since its release, I-PAK has become one of the most widely-chosen package inspection systems in pharmaceutical and other packaging industries. Today Microscan announces its latest iteration of the I-PAK software, I-PAK VH, which brings this fundamental multi-camera inspection platform to the company’s most capable smart camera line, the Vision HAWK series. I-PAK continues to have unlimited access to Microscan’s full suite of machine vision inspection capability, allowing users to address a wide range of industrial applications with the full toolset.
I-PAK VH draws on Microscan’s comprehensive suite of machine vision tools to perform advanced identification and quality control tasks. These inspections include powerful barcode reading, text and barcode validation (including compliance to ISO or GS1), print quality verification, measurements for product defect detection, and color detection. Even with its advanced capability, the I-PAK interface is designed for ease of use by users of all experience levels. By utilizing security clearance levels, I-PAK allows its runtime to be viewed by anyone, yet limits setup and inspection criteria changes to those authorized to make the change.
Unique to the I-PAK platform is its flexibility to accommodate multiple cameras, multiple operators, multiple products, and multiple operations on a single manufacturing line. With support for up to four Vision HAWK smart cameras, I-PAK VH can run four inspections simultaneously while displaying the results of each inspection on a single software screen. Failures reported by any camera are visible in the software and are also date stamped and logged for future review. Manufacturers can minimize downtime by saving complete inspection jobs on a host PC for easy camera setup in case of line changeovers or anticipated changes to inspection criteria. Even changes to lot number can be made directly from the software during inspection runs to save time. I-PAK VH maintains the security settings that are part of the I-PAK family legacy, including optional 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, built-in user levels that block access to software features based on user ID, and the ability to create an audit trail of job changes per logged user.
Although manufacturers cannot control all variables of production, I-PAK allows companies to best prepare for every production change, providing a tool that adapts quickly and easily to any new criteria. By implementing I-PAK machine vision software, manufacturers can improve product quality through automated inspection while achieving the agility to avoid downtime, optimize efficiency, and greatly increase operational output.
Microscan has also released its latest innovation as part of its award-winning AutoVISION® machine vision suite, CloudLink web HMI. A machine vision visualization tool for AutoVISION, CloudLink enables users to monitor live machine vision inspections performed by AutoVISION software and smart cameras in an interface that is accessible via web browser on any web-enabled device (such as PCs, HMIs, tablets, and smart phones).
