The Challenge
A pharmaceutical test and validation company approached us requiring an upgrade to a system that inspects the silicon lubricant utilized in self-administering syringes.
The Solution
We paired the NI Single-Board 9651 (sbRIO) SOM with our Circaflex embedded control board to provide a solution for the control and monitoring of a machine vision solution that captures images of syringe lubrication for improved and measured quality assurance.
The Story
EpiPens are devices used to administer medication to an individual experiencing a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis. Blocking the body’s response to an allergen, the importance of the EpiPen administering itself correctly in critical situations could not be higher. The product’s success depends on its ability to administer a predetermined drug dosage every time. How can one accurately test a product’s performance and ensure that this occurs?
A client approached us with this exact question in mind. They needed an upgrade to a system that inspects the silicon lubrication used in self-administering syringes. The system needed to be able to capture images of syringes individually to be used for inspection and analysis to meet strict FDA medical standards and detect defective syringes along their line.
The Cyth Process
To begin the upgrade of the client’s system our engineering team built an enclosure that housed all hardware the vision system required. We began by mounting two Applied Motion stepper drives. The Circaflex platform provided expandable input and output control signals to control the motor’s drive. The motor was programmed using LabVIEW motor control architectures to control predefined movements with accuracy on the micrometer scale.
The system holds a syringe in a vertical position while the first stepper motor rotates the syringe at a predefined rate. We created a custom LED array to reflect light from the syringe toward our camera. The light reflected off the syringe is then gathered by our camera to recreate a two-dimensional image of the lubrication located in the syringe’s interior. Using software to stitch together a high-definition image, we can accurately quantify the coating of the syringe’s interior lubricant. All of this is controlled and synchronized using the NI sbRIO 9651 SOM and the Cyth Circaflex platform.
Overcoming the Obstacles
Upon the completion of the enclosure housing the motors, camera, and hardware required to image the syringes, our engineers’ next step was to implement an appropriate lighting system. Our customer’s previous lighting solution would decrease in intensity over time resulting in inconsistencies across production runs. To resolve this issue our engineers configured a programmable logic controller (PLC) to strobe the lighting in tandem with the camera’s capture sequence. By overdriving the LEDs in the previous system, they provided inconsistent lighting. As a solution, we created a custom algorithm to drive the LEDs which more consistently illuminated the syringes and extended the LED’s lifespan. The use of Circaflex to synchronize the camera and lighting together greatly benefited the system since a predefined exposure time ensured consistent lighting and improved the camera’s imaging consistency.
Delivering the Outcome
Throughout the project, our sales and engineering teams collaborated closely with the client to ensure their timeline and project requirements. We were able to provide the client with a high-quality inspection system that fulfilled their needs and met their budgetary requirements. This included the system’s ability to scan and render a 2D image of the syringe’s interior lubricant for comparison and analysis. Our improved system and high-quality inspection processes now ensure only the best quality products make it into the hands of the customer.
Technical Specifications
· 2 x Applied Motion NEMA 17 Integrated Drive + Motor with Encoder
· 1 x Applied Motion NEMA 23 Integrated Drive + Motor with Encoder
· 1 x 20 - Megapixel CMOS Global Shutter Camera
· 1 x Telecentric, HP Illuminator (beam diameter 60 mm), White
· 1 x RC Series LED Strobe Controller
· 1 x NI RIO System on Module (sbRIO 9651)
· 1 x Circaflex 315 (910-00315-03)