Automate Visual Inspection Operations to Increase Production Output

The issue

This Quebec manufacturing company encounters production diiculties related to the quality control of the metal surface finish of the parts produced (faucets). Parts must be free of defects before being shipped to the customer. Visual inspection is carried out manually by inspectors. The underlying issues are: 1. Inconsistency of parts inspection - defects not found or acceptable parts rejected 2. Non-optimal production rate - manual visual inspection is a bottleneck and thus slows down the whole production. 3. Diiculties in recruiting inspectors due to labor shortages.

Initial situation

The solution

Automated solution which adapts to production: SI-X

• Grayscale camera
• Circular and diuse lighting
• Computer
• Inspection Software OwlVision Light

The results

AV&R experts have pre-programmed an algorithm specific to a type of detection: the detection of scratches on an ultra-polished metal surface. This algorithm made it possible to detect only the defects deemed rejectable by the customer, in particular scratches. By eliminating false defect detections and automating inspection, the customer was able to achieve consistent inspection results while increasing throughput. The OwlVision inspection software also allowed the customer to obtain detailed inspection reports, and thus obtain key information on its production (size, type, or even frequency of defects detected).