Abstract: A method and an apparatus for grouping individual products such as industrially baked products that travel past a visiometry station into lots for counting them. In a viewing zone of a conveyor belt, a laser triangulation visiometry system is used. The method and apparatus also uses a signal processor associated with the camera that deduces from the images acquired thereby at least one piece of information on the location of the products on the conveyor belt as well as height information thereon. This information is then used by the signal processor to automatically distinguish between the presence of a product and the presence of contaminating material (for example flour or chocolate particles) on the conveyor belt and to distinguish the presence of several partially or fully overlapping products from the presence of a single product on said conveyor belt. Preferably, two cameras are disposed symmetrically relative to a laser plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the viewing zone.

Abstract: The invention related to dispensing discrete products at the end of a production line to be placed loosely or in an orderly manner into packaging containers. The dispensing line according to the invention comprises a means for alternately controlling, particularly on the basis of location information gathered in a visiometric checkpoint through which the products are caused to pass, the routing of products to be placed loosely into packaging containers to a comb sort where they are regrouped by lot, or the individual inputting of products to be placed into packaging containers in an orderly manner by robotic grasping and transferring means.

Abstract: In an industrial bakery system, the control of quality of bakery products is carried out by a process comprising submitting said products when present in their respective locations on a moulding plate to a first visiometric inspection step wherein they are inspected from above and digital image data are produced comprising at least location data indicative of their respective positions on said plate, then seizing individually said products out of said plate depending on said location data by prehensors arranged in a gripping matrix of prehensors, and further submitting said seized products to a second visiometric inspection step wherein they are inspected from underneath while they are hanging from said gripping matrix.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for grouping individual products such as industrially baked products that travel past a visiometry station into lots for counting them. In a viewing zone of a conveyor belt, a laser triangulation visiometry system is used. The method and apparatus also uses a signal processor associated with the camera that deduces from the images acquired thereby at least one piece of information on the location of the products on the conveyor belt as well as height information thereon. This information is then used by the signal processor to automatically distinguish between the presence of a product and the presence of contaminating material (for example flour or chocolate particles) on the conveyor belt and to distinguish the presence of several partially or fully overlapping products from the presence of a single product on said conveyor belt. Preferably, two cameras are disposed symmetrically relative to a laser plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the viewing zone.