###### Abstract  
The Kyropoulos (Ky) and Czochralski (Cz) methods of crystal growth are used for large-diameter single crystals. The seeding process in these methods must induce initial crystallization by initiating contact between the seed crystals and the surface of the melted material. In the Ky and Cz methods, the seeding process lays the foundation for ingot growth during the entire growth process. When any defect occurs in this process, it is likely to spread to the entire ingot. In this paper, a vision system was constructed for auto seeding and for observing the surface of the melt in the Ky method. An algorithm was developed to detect the time when the internal convection of the melt is stabilized by observing the shape of the spoke pattern on the melt material surface. Then, the vision system and algorithm were applied to the growth furnace, and the possibility of process automation was examined for sapphire growth. To confirm that the convection of the melt was stabilized, the position of the island (i.e., the center of a spoke pattern) was detected using the vision system and image processing. When the observed coordinates for the center of the island were compared with the coordinates detected from the image processing algorithm, there was an average error of 1.87 mm (based on an image with 1024 \(\times\) 768 pixels).  
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Cz method, the seed is not rotated after it contacts the molten alumina, but the heater temperature is slowly lowered so that the single crystal grows downward from the seed [3].  
Many studies have been conducted on the Ky and Cz sapphire growth methods. [PERSON] et al. [4; 5] conducted a study on 3D simulations of the sapphire growth method and the effect of heating conditions on melt convection in a Ky furnace. [PERSON] [6] and [PERSON] [3] researched the effects of temperature conditions on ingot shape during growth in the Ky method. [PERSON] [7] investigated the interaction between the heat zone and the internal melt in the seeding process of the Ky method. These researchers focused on analyzing the growth shape of single crystal sapphire by numerical analysis, paying attention to heater arrangement and power.  
The following studies are also related to growth process monitoring. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [8] investigated methods for measuring the diameter of ingots during the single crystal growth of sapphire using vision system. [PERSON] et al. [9] proposed measuring the melt level in Cz crystal pullers using an image-based laser-triangulation measurement system. In addition, [PERSON] [10; 11] investigated the automation of the growth furnace in the Cz method, but this research deals with partial automation after the seeding process.  
As in previous papers, it is difficult to find an entirely automated process for single crystal growth. This is because the optimization of the process conditions for seeding has not been established. Most studies that used Ky and Cz methods stated that seeding was performed when the temperature field of the melt material in the growth furnace was stabilized [12; 13; 14]. Until now, the seeding process in ingot growth, which has great influence on the quality of single crystal sapphire, has depended on the experience and technique of skilled workers. The seeding process lays the foundation for ingot growth in both Ky and Cz methods, and when any defect occurs in this process, it is likely to spread to the entire ingot. So, the growth process must be standardized and stabilized to grow a single crystal sapphire of good quality.  
The aim of this research was to establish and optimize the conditions of the seeding process in the Ky method. The vision system and algorithm were developed to detect the exact time when the internal convection of the melt is stabilized by observing the shape of the spoke pattern on the melt surface. The possibility of sapphire process automation was also examined and applied to the growth furnace.