Avalon Vision Solutions LLC has resumed the vision-based, mold-monitoring business formerly known as Avalon Imaging Inc. of Boulder, Colo. Avalon Vision, based in Atlanta, was restarted by Ed Kachnic, the founder of Avalon Imaging, and two former Avalon Imaging officials. Kachnic, now president of Avalon Vision, said the partners bought the business from creditors late last year after Avalon Imaging stopped operating in September.
Avalon Vision has more than 400 customers among injection molders, Kachnic claims. He said sales and service have returned to normal after disruptions caused by the former company's demise.
Visual inspection of molds and parts is a key technology offered by Avalon Vision. An operator runs a "good part" mold cycle while a camera captures an image of the part in the mold, then an image of the mold after the part is ejected. The Avalon system stops the molding process if something gets stuck, slides don't return to position, or some other problem arises, said Bill Nicol, Avalon Vision partner and former Avalon Imaging sales and business development manager.
The system can also save images for documentation to pinpoint the start of problems.
Nicol said the vision systems are especially useful to connector molders because of their delicate mold cores and to medical part molders that rely on delicate mechanisms and polished cores. They can prevent downtime for just-in-time auto-part molders and make sure inserts are well-positioned for insert molders.
Kachnic founded Avalon Imaging in 1989. Venture capitalists gradually acquired a majority stake in the company. Larry Scarbrough, former Avalon Imaging customer service manager, is the other partner in Avalon Vision.