Abstract: A certification system and method for inspecting of a roll of web material through a web inspection system which includes the inspection of the roll of web material to determine the number, type and location of one or more detectable flaws along the web material. This data “object” representation of the roll map is recorded, and then compared to predetermined product set-up parameters and machine vision hardware integrity data to determine the accuracy of the web inspection. The generated “certification” assures with a substantial degree of precision that the machine vision hardware is calibrated and operating correctly, and that the correct system setup parameters for the particular web product being inspected are being applied.

Abstract: A web inspection apparatus (20) and method for use in identifying surface anomalies (26) on a moving material web (21) including a scanning device (22) and data processing circuitry (23) for monitoring and analyzing the output data of the scanning device (22). The scanning device (22) is configured to continuously scan a surface (25) of the moving web (21) and generates output data representative of the surface of the web. The data processing circuitry (23) is responsive to selected output data representing at least one type of surface anomaly (26) such that Region Of Interest (ROI) data are automatically recorded. This ROI data represents the detected anomaly (26) and an immediate surrounding region (27) including the detected anomaly. The hands-free data processing circuitry (23) continuously monitors and analyzes the output data generated by the scanning device (22) while the ROI data is being stored.

Abstract: An illumination system (20) and method for use with an optical web inspection assembly (21) to identify surface defects on a moving material web (25). The illumination system (20) includes an elongated light source (26) having an elongated aperture (46) adapted to transmit a substantially continuous elongated strip of non-collimated light therefrom generally in an entrance direction. An elongated light pipe device (32) is provided having an elongated entrance end (33) and an opposite elongated exit end (36) wherein the entrance end (33) is positioned longitudinally adjacent the light source aperture (46) and configured to substantially receive the strip of light therethrough in the entrance direction. The light pipe (32) includes a smoothly curved interior wall (37) extending from the entrance end (33) to the exit end (36), and defines an optical path configured to reflect and transmit substantially all the light received from the entrance end to the exit end (36).