Automated capsule inspection method

This method is based on the measurement of quantities associated with features in the projection of a capsule under inspection, such as head roundness, joint collinearity, area and length of the projection, and on the comparison of them with those in a standard projection.

The apparatus is composed of two TV cameras associated with strobe lighting, logic circuits, two 8 bit microprocessors and mechanisms to feed, transport, turn over and eject the capsules. The processing speed is 16 capsules s⁻¹. The inspection capability is confirmed to be of the same or higher level than inspection by human eyes.