Everything you need to know about Optomech's glass bottle, plastic bottle, and preform measurement systems.
What is the GBMS and how does it measure glass bottles?
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The GBMS (Glass Bottle Measurement System) is a 100% automated, non-contact optical inspection machine for glass containers. The operator places the bottle in a fixture; the system automatically rotates it 360°, capturing side-profile images at multiple angles using a 20 MP CMOS camera and double telecentric lens. All external dimensions — height, diameters, neck finish, thread geometry — are measured simultaneously with ±5 µm accuracy. Results appear in seconds with a full pass/fail report.
What is the difference between GBMS, PBMS, and PMS?
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GBMS is designed for glass bottles and vials — it uses green LED illumination optimised for glass. PBMS handles plastic and HDPE bottles using blue LED illumination. PMS is specifically for PET preforms — the injection-moulded blanks used to blow-mould PET bottles — and measures thread dimensions (T, E, I, S), total length, and body diameter. All three use the same telecentric optical platform and Opto Precision software.
What is a PET preform and why does its measurement matter?
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A PET preform is an injection-moulded intermediate product — shaped like a thick test-tube with a finished thread — that is reheated and blow-moulded into a PET bottle. Its thread dimensions, neck diameter, and body geometry directly control cap sealing, fill level, carbonation retention, and label registration in the final bottle. Even small deviations cause downstream failures. The PMS catches these issues at the preform stage — before they propagate to thousands of finished bottles.
What dimensions can these systems measure on a bottle?
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GBMS and PBMS measure all external dimensions visible in the bottle's side profile: overall height, body diameter at multiple heights, neck diameter, thread dimensions (T, E, I dimensions), shoulder angle, base diameter, and label panel height/position. Since the system auto-rotates the bottle 360°, all circumferential dimensions are captured. For PMS, measurements include thread parameters (TP, G, E, T, A, B, Z, DUS, DBUS), height (HSL, HTG), and body diameter (BD, TL).
How accurate are Optomech's bottle measurement systems?
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The GBMS and PBMS achieve ±5 µm measurement accuracy with 1 µm least count. The PMS achieves ±10 µm. These accuracy levels are achieved using 20 MP CMOS sensors, double telecentric lenses, and precision-collimated LED illumination. This is significantly more accurate than manual gauging with vernier calipers (typically ±50 µm accuracy in production conditions) and eliminates operator-to-operator variation entirely.
Which industries and sectors use these systems?
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Optomech specialized metrology systems are used across pharmaceuticals (glass vials, ampoules, injection bottles — where dimensional compliance is safety-critical), food and beverage (glass and PET bottles for soft drinks, water, juices), cosmetics and personal care, agrochemicals and specialty chemicals (HDPE bottles), PET preform manufacturers, and glass/plastic container manufacturers validating outgoing shipments. Customers include Coca-Cola, ALPLA, AGI Greenpac, PGP Glass, Hetero Pharma, and SGD Pharma.
Can these systems generate compliance and audit reports automatically?
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Yes. All three systems generate customisable inspection reports at user-defined frequencies — per part, per batch, per shift, or on demand. Reports include measured values, nominal dimensions, tolerance bands, pass/fail per dimension, and statistical analysis (CPK, average, min, max). Reports can be formatted to meet customer, internal audit, and regulatory compliance requirements. All data is stored on the machine with full traceability.
How long does it take to set up a new bottle inspection programme?
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Template creation takes 15–30 minutes for a new user, and 5–10 minutes for an experienced operator. Place a reference part, define measurement points, enter nominal dimensions and tolerances, and save. Once saved, the template is available immediately for all future inspections of that part number — no re-programming. Templates are stored indefinitely and can be copied and modified for similar bottle families.
What bottle sizes can the GBMS and PBMS measure?
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The 65-series (GBMS 65, PBMS 65) covers small containers — vials, ampoules, and small bottles up to 65 mm field width. The 90-series covers medium bottles (up to 92 mm). The 120-series covers large bottles up to 120 mm. This range covers pharmaceutical vials through large FMCG beverage bottles. Contact Optomech to confirm the right model for your specific container range.
Does Optomech provide installation, training, and after-sales service?
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Yes. Optomech's Hyderabad-based team provides complete onsite installation and commissioning, operator and supervisor training, and comprehensive after-sales service across India. All systems include remote access via the RJ-45 network interface for online diagnostics and support. Service contact: Chinthaya · +91-9032364140 · info@optomech.in. Optomech has been manufacturing and servicing metrology instruments since 1981.
