Character recognition on cartridge cases in ammunition manufacturing

In ammunition production, cartridge cases from various manufacturers are processed. For secure identification, it is critical that markings such as the manufacturer, year of manufacture, and NATO symbols are clearly legible. Illegible or incorrect text hinders traceability. The objective was to develop an automated inspection system that reliably recognizes and verifies these identifiers.

The inspection is performed using 2D machine vision with a view of the case head. An industrial camera combined with ring lighting ensures high-contrast and stable imaging of the text. The vision system reads the existing markings and compares them with predefined standards. Manufacturer IDs and the year of manufacture are clearly identified. Standardized symbols, such as the NATO mark, are also reliably detected as part of the text inspection.

Evaluation is carried out using our aku.visionManager® software, which combines rule-based methods with AI. This ensures stable results and reliable character recognition, even with varying surface qualities or slight contamination.

Automated marking inspection ensures that only correctly identified cases proceed through the manufacturing process. Faulty or illegible parts are detected early and rejected. This improves traceability and increases process reliability in ammunition manufacturing. Simultaneously, manual inspection effort is reduced. Manufacturers benefit from reliable identification, clear results, and efficient quality control within the ongoing process.