Decisive for the joint development of Xpectia were, on the one hand, the implementation of precision, speed, user-friendliness and flexibility in one system and, on the other hand, the rectification of defects of the predecessor system. Particular problems here were the testing times at the end of the machine cycle in the text-recognition area, as well as the fact that the operation of the image processing system required an extensive familiarization period.

As well as the perfect production of smart cards and ID cards and passports, the subsequent optical quality control has a very important part to play. “If we reach throughputs up to 6,500 cards/hour, information on cards or in passports which is incorrect, or even missing, is absolutely unacceptable and must be avoided at all costs. Xpectia is the reliable aid needed to identify any errors like this, and so allow the item concerned to be screened out and removed. Today, the cycle times for the quality controls themselves are also becoming increasingly shorter. As the tested products have to be supplied, positioned and subsequently removed again, there is relatively little time for the actual testing process”, according to Christian Ortmann, technical designer and specialist for image processing at ruhlamat.

ruhlamat is a traditional machine manufacturer from Thuringia, specialising in the areas of smart card and passport technology as well as assembly engineering. With a workforce of over 350 people in North America, Asia, and Europe, the company has grown steadily over the past few years and is the most successful company of the Mack Holding GmbH. With complete machine solutions from planning and development through to manufacturing and assembly ruhlamat is a qualified contact in special engineering.