Welcome to RKB

A leading manufacturer of machine vision web inspection, splice detection, coating scratch inspection and quality assurance and control technologies, we help companies achieve their quality initiatives and increase productivity in a sustainable way.

Founded over 55 years ago as Nash & Harrison Ltd., R.K.B. OPTO-ELECTRONICS, INC. (RKB) was the first commercial on-line web inspection manufacturer and supplier in the world.  Today we are a leader providing web based material manufacturers with reliable, accurate and quality machine vision imaging and inspection technologies unequaled in cost, performance and reliability.  With our leadership, application knowledge and expertise, we offer products, systems, solutions and services that allow our customers to improve their quality assurance initiatives, process control, productivity and traceability.

In the late 1950's, RKB designed and patented many of the void and defect fault technologies in use today by many multinational companies.  So reliable is our technology, that technologies provided over 40 years ago are still on-line performing with unprecedented reliability.  In 1960, when we were known worldwide as Leigh Controls PLC (a United Kingdom company), we designed, patented and successfully introduced infrared, phototransistor flaw detection technologies for the identification of dirt defects in a wide variety of web based materials.  In the 1970's we became the first company to introduce and provide reliable camera based inspection for quality assurance called the "Vidicon 7000".  This innovative technology changed how many film manufacturers handled their quality initiatives and laid the groundwork for our revolutionary technology yet to come.

In 1976,  our company relocated from Canada to the United States to improve its logistics and purchasing power where it has remained today.  In 1980, William Dobbie, considered one of the most renowned engineers in the web inspection industry and Director of Engineering for Leigh Inspection Division, acquired their inspection technology division and founded RKB.  In 1987, RKB introduced the first successful CCD line scan inspection system for use on high end watermark and security papers.  In 1992, RKB designed and patented its high resolution and very successful coating scratch and streak detection technology in Europe.  Using the most advanced defect signal processing technologies, experience and leading sensing solutions, RKB's coating streak and scratch inspection technology monitors any coated web material with detection capabilities down to sizes that no other technology or company can compare to.  Not only industry proven! RKB's streak detection technology will perform with unprecedented performance no matter what your production process speed may be.  This advanced scanner truly represents a quantum leap forward in high-speed, on-line defect fault imaging and inspection.

Many of our employees have been with RKB for more than 20 years with key personnel celebrating more than 25 years with RKB.  RKB's technological expertise coupled with our leading market position and support disciplines provide all of our customers with leading edge technology that is unsurpassed in performance.  Since we rely on openness and cooperation unlike other suppliers, RKB can offer customers the ability and flexibility to customize there inspection solutions to meet their quality assurance initiatives.  This allows RKB to become an integral part and valuable link in the overall process of web based material manufacturing.  In addition to our Corporate Headquarters in New York, RKB successfully opened its Asian Headquarters located in Suzhou, China.  Centrally located, our Asian facility provides our esteemed customers in the Pacific Rim area with quality technologies and services our customers here at home rely on.  RKB also has affiliated partners and offices in Europe, South East Asia, Africa and South America.

 Please take some time to review our website.  If there are any products that may interest you, please feel free to use our submission inquiry form and we will forward the appropriate information to you.  Should you have an application that requires addressing immediately, please feel free to call us direct or one of our offices or agencies located in your area of the world.  We thank you for visiting us and look forward to working with you as your quality assurance and control partner.

MISSION STATEMENT

R.K.B. OPTO-ELECTRONICS is a designer and manufacturer of high-speed machine vision web inspection technologies and related products. We are committed to web based material manufacturers, converters, customers and our industry that depend on us to guarantee that product superiority is maintained at the highest possible level. We are dedicated to increasing customer satisfaction, continuously improving our products and services, and providing opportunities for our employees to achieve their maximum potential.

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