Cognex to supply world's largest web inspection system to Oji Paper

NATICK, MA, March 31, 2008 (Press Release) - Cognex Corporation announced today that it has received an order in excess of $2 million from Oji Paper Co., Ltd., a Japanese manufacturer of premium coated papers, and the largest paper manufacturer in Japan. The customer will integrate a Cognex SmartView® web inspection system, using more than 100 cameras, at its manufacturing plant in Tomioka, Japan.

The SmartView system will be used on a production line in which paper is both manufactured and coated in one continuous process. During production, the SmartView web inspection system identifies defects on the moving web of paper and records their exact location on the roll. When the paper is automatically cut into individual sheets at the end of the production line, the SmartView system ensures that any sheet containing a defect is rejected before the final packaging step.

"This is the largest and most expensive SmartView system that Cognex has ever sold, and will be the largest and most powerful web inspection system in the world," said Dr. Robert J. Shillman, Cognex Chairman and CEO. "Cognex is able to deliver large systems such as this one because of SmartView's modular design. This unique design makes SmartView ideal both for applications on narrow webs that require only a few cameras, as well as on large webs such as the one at Oji Paper, which is 10 meters wide and requires inspection not only across that web but also at many different production stages."

SmartView can detect and classify defects smaller than a square millimeter in the most challenging applications at full production speeds. This enables manufacturers to both improve product quality and reduce scrap, resulting in increased profitability.

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