Apparatus and method of detecting a rotational setting of plastics material pre-forms

An apparatus for the detection of a geometrical position of plastics material containers, wherein the plastics material containers have a base member and a thread region, the apparatus comprising:

• an image-recording device, which records a locally resolved image of the plastics material container, the image-recording device being arranged in such a way that it observes the plastics material container substantially along its longitudinal direction;
• an illumination device, which illuminates at least one region of the plastics material container observed by the image-recording device;
• an evaluation device, which on the basis of at least one image recorded by the image-recording device determines a rotary setting of the plastics material container with respect to its longitudinal direction;
• and
• a position detection device, which detects a geometrical position of the plastics material pre-form.