Development of an automated chocolate customization system based on laser engraving and machine vision for quality control
Abstract
Development of an automated chocolate customization system based on laser engraving and machine vision for quality control
Incoming article date: 26.05.2025The article presents the development of an automated cyber-physical chocolate customization system based on laser engraving with an integrated machine vision module for quality control. An experimental stand is described, which includes a Co₂ laser with a power of up to 30 W, a precision XYZ positioning system, a conveyor feed and an optical unit with an RGB camera and ring illumination. A laser control software has been developed that implements trajectory generation, focus auto-calibration, and power/speed control, as well as a hybrid visual control algorithm based on convolutional neural networks. Integration is carried out via Modbus/TCP and REST API: real-time inspection results are returned to the PLC for adaptive adjustment of engraving parameters or automatic rejection of defective products. During the DoE experiments, the model showed a decrease in rejection from 8.3% to 1.7% and an increase in throughput from 25 to 36 units/min. Economic and technical analysis confirm.
Keywords: automation, laser engraving, chocolate products, machine vision, quality control, customization