Detect defects precisely using AI visual inspection for manufacturing

Are you a manufacturer? Then I have a question for you. How do you identify product detects? Do you still depend on traditional methods to detect defects? Are your products 100% defect free? If not, you need AI visual inspection. The AI visual inspection has greater accuracy and speed in finding defects. According to a recent study, by 2028, the global market for AI-based visual system in manufacturing is expected to reach $21.3 billion growing at a compound annual growth rate of 43.4%. The increasing demand for high-quality products drives this exponential growth along with the advent of AI technology. This is because AI-powered systems can quickly and accurately detect defects in images, which can help businesses improve the quality of their products and reduce the cost of defects.

There are several benefits to using AI visual system for defect detection in manufacturing. For instance, AI-powered systems can process large amounts of data quickly and accurately and can be trained to detect even the most minor defects. This allows for faster and more accurate defect detection than traditional methods, such as human inspection or machine vision systems.

In addition, by using AI visual inspection, you can improve the efficiency of the inspection process. Traditional methods often require significant time and effort, as they may involve the manual review of images by human inspectors or complex algorithms for machine vision systems. On the other hand, AI-powered systems can automate the inspection process, allowing businesses to reduce the amount of time and effort required for visual system. So what is AI Visual inspection? How does this work? Let’s find out.

What is AI visual inspection?

In the production process, a visual inspection is a common approach that involves examining the components of an assembly line to identify and fix problems. However, AI visual inspection typically refers to an optical inspection technique that utilizes deep learning and computer vision. This process involves using a computer to capture, record, and store images and objects to monitor and inspect a manufacturing or service operation to ensure that products meet specified standards.

AI-powered visual system can save time and improve efficiency. For example, if an inspector manually inspects an assembly line, it may take them several hours to complete the inspection process. In contrast, AI-powered software can scan the assembly line in minutes.

The fundamental principle of deep learning is to teach a machine to recognize specific patterns by providing a neural network with labeled examples. Once the machine has learned these patterns, it can use them to analyze new data and identify defects. Combining deep learning algorithms with automated visual inspection technology allows machines to differentiate between components, abnormalities, and characters, simulating a human visual examination while running a computerized system.

Limitations of manual inspection:

Not every defect detection task, such as baggage screening or aircraft maintenance, is safe to inspect. Studying and assessing damage to a building or automobile can take significant time. Manual inspection can also be time-consuming in property and casualty businesses. It is also prone to errors and subjective to the inspector, resulting in inconsistent results. Additionally, manual inspection is costly due to the labor required. In contrast, computer vision can significantly speed up the process, minimize mistakes and prevent fraud. You can also use it with satellite imagery, drones, and big data for computer-assisted inspections.

How to integrate an AI visual inspection system:

Here is what you need to do.

Find the use case:

To integrate AI visual inspection system, it is essential that you need to identify the challenge. This includes understanding the goal of the inspection and the defects that the system should detect. You must identify your system environment and define whether the detection will be real-time or deferred. You also need to determine the system notification when a defect is detected and whether you need to develop a new system from scratch or if your default system has the defect detection functionality.

Collect your data:

You need to prepare and gather the required data sets before you begin with deep learning. There are several ways to collect the dataset, including utilizing video records provided by a client, engaging in open-source video recording, or collecting data from scratch according to the requirements of the deep learning model. This can include digitizing the product supply chain through IoT analytics and extracting frames from videos to create bounding boxes on relevant objects. After obtaining the data, it is vital to check for anomalies and ensure it is orderly and ready to be modeled.

Deploy deep learning model:

To identify the perfect deep learning model for your system, you need to consider the system’s complexity, budget limitations, and time constraints. There are three ways to get a deep learning model, including model development services, using pre-trained models, or developing from scratch. A technology partner can help you to build the model that best suits your needs.

Train & Evaluate:

Once the model for your system is developed, it’s time to train it. The data scientist will test and evaluate your system’s performance and result accuracy. The test dataset could be anything that supports the automated visual system, such as a set of video records to process.

Inspect and Improve: 

After evaluating your model, it’s time to deploy and inspect it daily. Rather than applying your model on a large scale, you can test it on some of your products to determine its accuracy. If it meets the requirements, you are looking for; you can integrate it with your entire system. Regularly updating your model using new datasets and market trends is also recommended.

Business benefits of AI visual inspection in manufacturing:

• Machine vision has a high optical resolution and can handle a broad spectrum of observation, including ultraviolet, infrared, and x-ray regions.
• Observations and conclusions are made almost instantly with the speed of a computer’s processing power, resulting in exact calculations.
• Machines are impartial and programmable, making them reliable in following instructions without counter-questions.
• Unlike manual inspection, automated visual inspection systems can measure absolute dimensions with high precision.
• They can also be easily deployed in dangerous environments where human involvement would be risky.

Takeaway:

With all the recession, inflation and raw material prices shooting up, if you want to cut down costs then automating tasks is the right option. Automation is not here to take people’s jobs, but it is here to support and augment them while they can concentrate on much more tasks. Thus, it increases the productivity and efficiency of the employees and your business.

Want to automate your processes? Do you need a technology partner? We can help you find your use case. Get in touch with us to start your journey towards AI based visual inspection system today.