News & Events

KSEC R&D Institute has recently achieved a significant technological milestone. Its Machine Vision Team, in collaboration with an industry partner, successfully passed industry certification for the project “AI-Based Visual Detection and Removal of Foreign Matter in Tobacco Processing.” After three years of dedicated research, the team has innovatively applied AI deep learning technology to tobacco visual inspection, developing a cutting-edge system that accurately distinguishes and removes foreign matter from tobacco — a breakthrough widely recognized within the industry.

Evolving Excellence in Foreign Matter Sorting

The foreign matter sorter has long played a crucial role in ensuring cigarette quality and safety. Recognizing the need for localized, high-performance solutions, KSEC launched its own independent research and development efforts in the early 2000s. By 2005, our company’s first-generation foreign matter sorter had successfully passed certification and entered commercial operation. Since then, KSEC has continuously refined and expanded its product line, introducing eight models that serve a wide range of tobacco primary lines (with capacities ranging from 3,000 kg to 12,000 kg per hour). These systems are now widely adopted across the industry, known for their precision, reliability, and operational efficiency.

Pioneering AI-Powered Innovation

With growing demand for higher precision in tobacco processing, KSEC R&D Institute has leveraged advances in artificial intelligence to drive innovation. Overcoming key technical challenges such as single-layer material handling, the team successfully developed a visual AI system powered by deep learning algorithms. Utilizing multi-dimensional feature analysis—including color, shape, size, and texture—the system achieves highly accurate foreign matter identification, with recognition rates on standard samples exceeding 95% and removal rates surpassing 90%. This represents a significant improvement over traditional technologies, enabling higher production efficiency and superior product quality.

Expanding Applications Beyond Tobacco

While consolidating its leadership in tobacco processing technology, KSEC is actively extending its AI vision capabilities into new application domains. So far, the team has developed a series of AI-powered lamina structure detection devices, enhancing quality control throughout the entire tobacco production chain. In addition, the “KSEC Smart Safety Management Platform” applies visual AI to industrial safety monitoring, providing real-time intelligent alerts for unsafe behaviors and environmental risks on production sites. The platform has passed rigorous certification by Yunnan provincial authorities and received dual accreditations from CMA and CNAS.

Looking to the future, KSEC continues to explore broader applications of its visual AI technologies in industries such as tea production and food processing, contributing advanced solutions to strengthen food safety and drive industrial automation.