Some of the most common defects in PET preforms with increased rPET concentration are different types of inclusions, haziness, and yellowing. Hence, for an upcoming R&D project funded by Norway Grants Sprana intends to develop a new inspection system that enables the detection of black specks and other contaminations at an early stage of production.

In this project, the company will carry out research and experimental activities in order to improve the quality control of PET preforms in on-line monitoring and analysis and to increase recycled materials concentration in production processes. This is realised by using machine vision and AI technology. Sprana will also develop the system’s prototype, which will be tested and installed on-site. The company states that by optimising and improving quality control of PET preform production, manufacturers will be able to reduce the routine human labour part of the quality assurance process, which is seen as inefficient, time-consuming, and increases the possibility of defective products. Released from routine tasks, staff will instead be able to carry out higher value-added processes and focus on higher quality of the products.

During this project, Sprana will be collaborating with local and international partners to carry out the R&D stages and achieve the main goals of the program. In cooperation with Lithuanian PET preform producer Putoksnis Ltd. and Norwegian consulting and projects management company IDN (International Development Norway) Sprana’s objective is to adapt the resulting product/solution in a real industrial environment and to commercialise it in the EU and across world markets.

Overall, the project not only aims to promote the usage of secondary PET resin in the industry and to stimulate the market for rPET trading, but the partnership will also take a further step towards the EU goal of creating the circular economy for the PET plastic packaging industry.

Project web page: http://norwaygrants-psis.eu/

Responsible person contact information:
Ricardas Razgaitis
E-mail: r.razgaitis@sprana.eu
Call: +370 640 04521

Achieved Results:

The project met all its objectives. The predicted black specs were detected with a degree of detection surpassing the initial targets. The actual detection capability reached 0.5mm, significantly better than the 2mm target.

Innovation and Benefits:

The real-time online detection of black specs has empowered the company to confidently utilize secondary raw material rPET, ensuring that customers receive only compliant and marketable products. The PDIS system's particular advantage in detecting black specs is evident in very dark PET preforms, where manual detection during production is virtually impossible. Consequently, this technology enables the bold incorporation of rPET in darker preforms.

Furthermore, the deployment of this system and its analytical capabilities has facilitated the identification of problematic formulations and suboptimal equipment performance, correlating these factors with the occurrence of defects. This insight enables proactive measures to be implemented, preventing defects before they arise.

On December 21st 2022 SPRANA team have successful adapted “Alfa” prototype to customer UAB “Putoksnis” PET preform manufacturer production line.
Commissioning and startup tasks completed according to the plan.
First stage testing was done, now real time testing on working production line is running and raw data gathered for further analysis.

The „Alfa“ prototype casing has been developed by SPRANA team, the optimal interior of the casing has been selected to minimize the negative geometric effect of light reflection and scatering, and an IR light source has been designed and manufactured - an LED panel that has been integrated into the original prototype design.
Experiments with power supply units for LED panels have been performed, negative effects of flickering have been observed, which will be eliminated by improving the design of electronics.
Software analysis of different cameras resolution was performed. The optimal relationship between photo resolution and computational capabilities was sought. A list of required calculation techniques has been compiled.
Optimal machine vision IR / VIS camera is selected from world leading manufacturers.
Trace simulations with IR machine cameras and IR filters were performed.
Primary defect detection algorithms were developed, and primary initial results were obtained.

With rapidly changing market conditions, strong competition, increasing consumer market quality standards and stricter environmental regulation laws, the product quality monitoring and analysis of production parameters directly on the production line is of key important solution in achieving the most effitient quality management standards of end product. Efficient automatic process management is not possible without measurement of parameters that needs to be controlled (temperature, composition, various physical or chemical properties, etc.). For this reason, the world market for process analytical technologies has been growing substantially in the recent years.

Quantitative analysis of bulk products is relevant in various industries (chemistry, mining, food, medicines, etc.). So far, there has been no effective solution on the market to monitor the quality of such products in industrial flows in real time. To date, measurements of this kind are carried out in laboratories using wet chemistry, where the preparation of the sample requires long, careful work, skilled personnel, but this does not exclude "human error", so the results of the measurement are often inaccurate, and the process itself is long and costly.

After assessing market demand, expectations and prospects, Sprana Ltd. together with Quantum Light Instruments Ltd. implemented the project "Technology for the quantitative analysis of solid/bulk materials with FTIR-ATR in industrial streams". In this project R&D studies were carried out to increase the accuracy of FTIR-ATR quantification method of solid/bulk materials and a prototype of advanced FTIR-ATR measurement technology will be developed, which allows quickly and precisely measure the quantitative composition (concentration) of the production during the production process (on-line). The outcome of the project improved the management of production processes and control of production quality.

The project was implemented under the research, development and innovation program (in Lithuanian - MTTPI) named "Experiment" (13.1.1-LVPA-K-856-01-0024) financed by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the EU's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The beginning of the implementation of project activities: 2020-07-01.
The end of the implementation of project activities: 2022-12-31.

Responsible person contact information:
E-mail: g.prusinskiene@sprana.eu
Call: +370 652 72 122