Cork

Solutions for the Cork Industry

The cork industry is a global reference in sustainability, innovation and quality. This sector combines tradition, engineering and cutting-edge technology, requiring increasingly automated, rigorous and intelligent processes to effectively meet the high standards of quality and international competitiveness.

Cork, as a natural raw material, has unique characteristics: it is lightweight, elastic, waterproof, insulating and fully renewable.

However, these extraordinary properties also create significant challenges for quality control and standardisation of the final product.

This is where Sentinel Vision plays a key role, integrating artificial vision, artificial intelligence and industrial automation, and transforming the way cork is analysed, selected and processed.

Why focus on cork?

Cork is a 100% natural and sustainable material, extracted from the bark of the cork oak.

Technically, it has a microscopic cellular structure composed of millions of gas-filled cells, giving it compressibility, lightness and excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties.

These same characteristics make manual visual inspection complex, time-consuming and prone to human error. Microscopic defects such as microcracks, excessive pores, internal bubbles, cavities, density variations or inclusions can compromise the performance of the final product, whether a premium cork stopper, a coating panel, a technical component or even a design material.

A quality control process dependent solely on human perception can result in inconsistencies between batches, higher rejection rates and loss of commercial value.

Sentinel Vision’s technology addresses these challenges with automatic inspection systems based on vision and artificial intelligence. These systems analyse each piece of cork with precision, speed and impartiality, ensuring high and repeatable quality standards.

How our technology comes into action

Sentinel Vision develops three major families of industrial solutions tailored to the specific needs of the cork sector:

• Cork segmentation and quality grading;

Using high-resolution industrial cameras and advanced computer vision algorithms, we perform automatic analysis of cork surfaces, whether planks, blocks or stoppers.

The system is trained to identify visual parameters such as tone, texture, cracking, holes, and variations in colour or density.

With machine learning, the platform continuously learns from new data, increasing classification reliability over time.

The result is automatic segmentation between acceptable and rejected areas, with full traceability and guaranteed repeatability, eliminating human subjectivity.

This analysis can be integrated directly into production lines, enabling real-time adjustments and increased operational yield.

• X-ray inspection of cork interiors;

In high-value applications such as premium stoppers, technical components, aerospace insulation materials or high-performance products, it is essential to evaluate not only the surface but also the internal structure of the cork.

Sentinel Vision’s X-ray inspection solution combines state-of-the-art hardware with proprietary image-analysis software capable of detecting microcracks, cavities, density variations and internal inclusions invisible to the human eye.

With this technology, manufacturers ensure structural homogeneity, safety and superior quality, guaranteeing that only top-grade raw materials proceed to the next stages of production.

• Automatic determination of drilling and processing zones;

In the manufacture of stoppers, discs, technical insulation or industrial components, identifying the ideal drilling and cutting zones is essential to maximise raw-material yield and minimise waste.

Sentinel Vision’s artificial vision systems analyse the cellular structure of cork and identify the most suitable areas for drilling, based on geometric and visual-quality criteria.
The software communicates automatically with CNC machines and industrial robots, optimising the cutting process and reducing rework. This level of integration results in better cork utilisation, higher productivity and improved overall efficiency.

Benefits for cork manufacturers

Sentinel Vision solutions are designed to generate tangible, measurable and sustainable results. The main benefits include:

• Improved batch quality and uniformity, resulting in more consistent and higher-value products.
• Reduced rejection rates, waste and rework, with direct impact on operational profitability.
• Full traceability and automatic quality reports, essential for certifications (ISO, FSC, etc.).
• Flexible integration with existing production lines, without replacing equipment.
• Full customisation of systems for each production process.
• Faster and more accurate inspections, increasing overall productivity.
• Technical training and specialised support, ensuring efficiency and client autonomy.

With these advantages, cork manufacturers can position their products in premium segments and strengthen the trust of international customers and partners.