Technature, a full-service contract manufacturer of cosmetic skincare products, decided to strengthen its quality control with vision solutions. The first application is a production line for cosmetic patches that are then packaged. Mathis Le Floch managed the entire algorithm training phase on a cell provided by Psycle; he reviews the project for us.
What need did you consult Psycle for?
Mathis Le Floch: Our main goal was to recover the sachets containing “compliant” patches that were being thrown away. We also wanted to relieve the operators in charge of inspection on this line. It is a high-speed line (6,000 patches/hour); tracking down cosmetic defects is very tiring, and sometimes non-conformities can slip through the cracks. We thought vision would be a good tool to automate inspection. We wanted a solution that could recognize as many different defects as possible (creases, air bubbles, scratches, overlaps, missing items, etc.), send a signal in the event of non-conformity and automatically trigger the ejection of the product concerned. We also wanted a system that would give us traceability of non-conformities, which Psycle offers with the PAQ software.
I learned a lot about AI-assisted machine vision through my discussions with Psycle. I now know that well-designed AI is essential to properly detect a product and its defects.
How did the Psycle team support you?
MLF: The Psycle team was by our side for 4 months. Discussions were very rich, and as soon as we had an idea, we talked it over together. Generally, Psycle would start the necessary development right away. We were new to vision, and Psycle's closeness and responsiveness were very reassuring. As was the gradual support toward autonomy.
How did having equipment made available to you help?
MLF: Our project seemed complex to us: we have a huge number of references with different products (size, color, etc.), many defects and high speeds. Renting appeared to be a way of validating feasibility while reducing risk. We were also able to refine our specifications. In addition, we extended inspection to the sachets, which was not planned, without significantly lengthening the industrialization time.