Visible Defect Analysis in the Consumer Products Industry – Improving Efficiency by Moving Identification Closer to the Problem

Consumer products manufacturing is a big industry and identification of materials is a consistent need throughout the industry. From incoming material verification to defect or contaminant identification, there is always a need to positively identify materials. Oftentimes, especially in the case of defects and contaminants, the material in question is physically small, but determining the true identity, and likewise the source, is key to solving the problem. The faster the material is identified, the faster the source is found and the faster the line can get back up and running. Identification of the “black spot” is often the gating factor in solving contamination and visible defect issues. Fortunately, material identification of even small spots can be accomplished using infrared (IR) microscopy. By combining the analytical power of a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer with the precise focus and spatial resolution of a microscope, the chemical identity of samples that are barely visible to the human eye can be identified.