Compact In-Line Verification System Inspects 200,000 Softgels Per Hour

Symetix has introduced VeriSym SE, an affordable, high-performance optical inspection system, designed to verify softgels continuously, in-line after a single encapsulator or off-line in a batch mode. As the smallest member of the VeriSym family, VeriSym SE inspects up to 200,000 softgels per hour.

Unlike manual inspection, VeriSym SE is objective and consistent, which improves final product quality. Automating inspection with VeriSym SE increases product yield by minimising the removal of acceptable product. The system reduces the risk of contamination by minimising human contact with product. Based on labour savings alone, VeriSym SE offers a payback of less than 12 months.

Customers currently batch drying can batch-feed the bulk-to-bulk VeriSym SE from trays, totes or boxes and later integrate it with a continuous drying system on a single encapsulator line.

Softgels are fed into VeriSym SE’s infeed hopper, either automatically from a continuous dryer or manually. The hopper meters product onto the infeed shaker that spreads the product evenly for viewing by a top-mounted colour camera that inspects each object’s colour, size and shape. Proprietary image processing technology quickly analyses the images, comparing each object with previously defined accept/reject standards to detect foreign and misshapen softgels softgels and defects such as spots, colour variations and air bubbles. When a defective product or unconfirmed object is identified, the system activates the close-coupled, high-speed air ejector system to remove it from the product stream that leads to packaging.

The modular VeriSym SE is compact and portable with a footprint of only 2.7 m long and 0.9 m wide, which includes the infeed hopper and reject manifold. VeriSym SE features the same graphical user interface (GUI) as other VeriSym systems, which eases training for customers with the higher capacity VeriSym or VeriSym SL systems already installed in their plant. The GUI can be accessed remotely via the network or internet.

Designed for fast and easy product changeovers, VeriSym SE can be cleared, cleaned and set-up to handle the next product in less than 10 minutes, with no tools required. 

The VeriSym SE is FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliant with secure and encrypted logs, secure passcode management, parameter histograms and guided changeover.

 In addition to softgels, VeriSym SE is perfectly suited to the inspection of coated tablets, detecting and removing foreign tablets, broken tablets, stained tablets and tablets with missing coating if the coating is a different colour than the underlying tablet’s core.

Symetix, +1 509 394 3370, swentz@key.net, www.symetix.net.