Digimarc and OMRON have joined forces to introduce a cutting-edge solution that combines digital watermarking technology with industrial automation.
By integrating Digimarc’s imperceptible watermarking expertise with the advanced capabilities of OMRON’s FH Vision System and FHV7 Smart Camera, this collaboration enables precise, high-speed detection and traceability in demanding manufacturing environments.
In today’s manufacturing landscape, accuracy, quality, and sustainability are essential. Traditional product codes like QR and DataMatrix are often limited by visibility and orientation.
Digital watermarks offer a powerful alternative—embedding machine-readable data invisibly across packaging surfaces without compromising design.
These watermarks can be detected on complex materials such as cylindrical bottles and transparent films, ensuring consistent readability even at high speeds.
Digital watermarks significantly enhance automated quality control by reducing reliance on manual inspections. They ensure that the correct product matches its packaging, helping manufacturers avoid costly recalls and regulatory issues, particularly in sensitive applications like allergen labelling.
Systems powered by OMRON’s vision technology detect and decode these watermarks with high precision, maintaining production integrity.
Beyond quality control, digital watermarks also contribute to more sustainable packaging solutions. By eliminating the need for additional labelling materials, such as plastic shrink sleeves, manufacturers can reduce both waste and carbon emissions.
In one practical example, a food manufacturer replaced plastic sleeves with foil lids embedded with digital watermarks, cutting eight tons of single-use plastic annually.
This technology also plays a vital role in improving order fulfilment and distribution. Watermarks remain reliably readable at high speeds, enabling more efficient sorting, packing, and shipping operations.
Added to that, watermarks support post-consumer recycling by helping facilities identify packaging materials, even when broken or soiled, advancing circular economy goals.
The benefits extend to data collection as well. Real-time insights derived from watermark scanning enable smarter decision-making across the production process, from inventory and quality assurance to production planning. This helps reduce downtime, prevent overproduction, and ensure full traceability.
In practice, OMRON’s FH Vision System, outfitted with colour cameras, was used by a manufacturer to detect watermarks on foil lids while simultaneously inspecting date codes, checking lid concentricity, and confirming proper alignment.
Operating at a speed of 800 parts per minute, the system delivered consistent performance and integrated seamlessly into the production line.
By combining Digimarc’s digital watermarking technology with OMRON’s trusted automation systems, manufacturers gain a powerful tool to boost traceability, reduce waste, improve environmental performance, and drive efficiency, paving the way for smarter, more sustainable production.
Cezanne Gonsior
Omron Electronics (Pty) Ltd
Tel: +27 76 062 8668
Cezanne.gonsior@omron.com
www.industrial.omron.co.za
