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【2021 Application Example】 HRT Technology Improves Production Efficiency by 20% Through AOI Detection of Defects in VCSEL Packaging

In 2017, the launch of the iPhone X made 3D sensor technology used in Face ID highly popular, which drove the development of VCSEL, a core component in the 3D sensor module. In the detection of defects in incoming packaged VCSEL, the use of AI inference models can solve the industry's issue with low yield and improve reliability to 95%.

VCSEL technology currently can be used in many applications and various end consumer markets, including robots, mobile devices, surveillance, drones, and AR/VR. VCSELs are a good solution in applications that require high-speed modulation capabilities, such as cameras and biometrics.

VCSEL technology has broad applications, including in drones. (Pictured: Zoyi Technology's Agricultural Drone)

▲VCSEL technology has a wide range of  applications, including in drones. (Pictured: Zoyi Technology's Agricultural Drone)

VCSEL technology has a wide range of applications, AI technology assists in defect detection

HRT Technology stated that the packaged VCSEL market is also facing strong price competition from competitors, and needs to further reduce costs and enhance product competitiveness. One of the key problems is the replacement of glass lens with epoxy resin lens. The production of traditional glass lenses has high yield, but the cost is higher than that of epoxy resin lenses. Due to the cutting process of epoxy resin, the side wall of cutting lines can easily have rough edges, causing it to be oversized. The release of stress caused by heat during the mounting process will directly cause the optical lens to break.

HRT Technology pointed out that the incoming inspection of VCSEL epoxy resin lenses is very important. Under the constraints of packaging space, the space for fitting the package and optical lens is limited. Moreover, the optical lenses will be confined to a metal frame. If the dimensional tolerances are properly controlled, stress release due to heat during mounting can easily cause the optical lens to break, resulting in a yield loss of up to 10% in the VCSEL package reliability verification, resulting in an increase in production costs.

In order to solve the problems above, HRT Technology hopes to use AI to monitor the size and appearance defects of epoxy resin components in the VCSEL epoxy resin lens incoming stage, verifying whether their dimensions meet specifications, whether the cutting edges are smooth, and whether there are any defects in their appearance. Since traditional incoming material inspection requires a rough visual inspection by humans to distinguish the quality. The problem of image collection needs to be solved first to successfully collect image data.

Therefore, HRT Technology first developed an Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) device, which includes X, Y, Z three-axis motion, high-resolution cameras, and related control software to automatically record images. After collecting the image data, opencv aligns the test image and a normal image to determine differences between the two images, and then pixel mapping is used to compare the pixel area to complete initial screening. Manual labeling is carried out according to the image classification above, including: samples that are normal, have defects in appearance, or have different shape characteristics, and then algorithm training and verification is carried out. Residual neural network (ResNet) or other related algorithms are used for deep learning to identify the quality of lenses.

Implementation of AOI inspection improves production efficiency by 20% and above

Comparing the differences before and after the implementation of AI image inspection, the incoming VCSEL lens inspection before implementation only involved manual inspection of the appearance. The lens is packaged on the VCSEL package that has completed die bonding. After passing the general light up test, the final reliability test (high temperature reflow) is performed. Failed samples go into the rework process.

However, after the implementation of AOI inspection, it can screen defective lenses sooner and reduce the cost of subsequent materials input, it can also reduce the need for rework due to failure, improving yield to 95% and above in the reliability verification. This is expected to help companies reduce production costs by 10% and increase production efficiency by 20% and above.

The difference before and after the introduction of AI image inspection.

▲ The difference before and after implementing AI image detection

HRT Technology pointed out that this technology is an AI application developed based on tiny images. It uses deep learning algorithms to identify defects in the images. The trained network automatically classifies image data to predetermined categories. Defect categories can be determined through reference images, so cumbersome programming is not required.

In the industrial machine vision environment, deep learning is mainly used for classification tasks in applications, such as inspection of industrial products or identification of parts. In the future, with the development of IoT wearable devices and the trend of energy saving, the size of optoelectronic components will continue to shrink. This technology can be applied to the detection of defects in the appearance of other tiny optoelectronic components in the future.

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【導入案例】海量數位工程AOI機器智能手臂檢測系統 大幅提高瑕疵檢測精準度
Massive Digital Engineering AOI Intelligent Robotic Arm Inspection System Significantly Improves Defect Detection Accuracy

Taiwan is known as a manufacturing powerhouse, yet quality defect detection has always been a chronic sore point in production lines While AOI equipment is available to assist, most use fixed machinery which are limited by angles, resulting in less precise diagnostics and high false positive rates Massive Digital Engineering introduced an AOI intelligent robotic arm detection system that effectively reduces false positives and increases the accuracy of defect detection Generally, the yield rate of products affects the costs for enterprises and the return rate for customers The quality defect detection process in the manufacturing industry often necessitates a substantial amount of quality inspection labor Although there is AOI equipment to assist, these tools are mostly fixed detection machines Fixed cameras are easily limited by angles, resulting in less precise diagnostics and high false positive rates Thus, personnel need to re-screen and inspect afterwards, often manually visual inspection misses defects on average about 5, and can be as high as 20 Three major pain points in manufacturing quality detection Robotic Arm AOI with dynamic multi-angle inspection helps to solve these issues According to the practical understanding by Massive Digital Engineering, there are three main pain points in detecting product quality within the manufacturing industry Pain point one, manual inspection of product quality is prone to errors Currently, the manufacturing industry largely relies on human labor to inspect product appearance, but human judgment often entails errors, such as surface scratches, color differences, solder appearance, etc The error rate in defect judgment is high, and can only be inspected at the finished product stage, often leading to whole batch rejections and high costs in labor and production Pain point two, inability to quantify and record data from quality inspections Traditional manual inspections do not maintain inspection data, which makes it difficult to assign responsibility when quality disputes occur Moreover, high-end contract manufacturing orders from overseas brands often require traceability and corresponding defect records, which traditional human inspection methods struggle to meet Pain point three, limitations of traditional AOI visual inspection systems Current manufacturing uses AOI visual inspection systems, which due to the limitations of visual software technology, employ fixed cameras, fixed lighting, and single-angle operations This method may handle flat or linear-shaped products like rectangular or square items at a single inspection point However, it is more challenging to implement for products with complex shapes eg, irregular automotive parts, requiring multi-point and multi-degree inspections Massive Digital Engineering developed an AOI intelligent robotic arm detection system, effectively improving the accuracy of defect detection To address the pain points in quality inspection in manufacturing, Massive Digital Engineering initiated the concept of developing a multi-angle, movable inspection device, starting with the combination of two representative technologies in factory automation - robotic arms and machine vision By integrating robotic arms with AOI for dynamic multi-angle AI real-time quality inspection, the limitations of fixed inspection systems are addressed, and visual inspection techniques are enhanced by leveraging artificial intelligence, further elevating the sampling of images from flat to multi-dimensional and multi-angular Selected the automotive industry as the real-world testing ground to quickly respond to customer needs The AOI intelligent robotic arm detection system, utilizing AI technology including unsupervised learning, supervised learning, and semi-supervised learning, allows operators to use unsupervised deep learning techniques to learn about good products even when initial samples are incomplete or there are no defective samples, applying it in the visual inspection of automatic welding of car trusses This can solve issues of limited angles with fixed machinery before implementation, less precise diagnostics, and high false positive rates Automotive components are high in unit price and demand a stricter defect detection accuracy In industries that have adopted AI services, the automotive manufacturing sector was chosen as the real-world testing ground Massive Digital Engineering states that the automotive industry mainly consists of related component manufacturers and components typically have a higher unit price, hence requiring more in terms of quality inspection and yield rates, and demanding stricter accuracy Therefore, the automotive sector was chosen as the area for introduction By using a robotic arm combined with AI for dynamic multi-angle AOI visual real-time quality inspection, not only can the defect quality error rate of automotive components be improved, but the fixed-point AOI optical inspection can be enhanced to meet the measurement needs of most industries and finally, establishing a third-party system platform to build an integrated monitoring system platform, enabling immediate response and action when issues arise This system allows for recording and storing important data of products leaving the factory, serving as a basis for future digital production lines and virtual production At the same time, in the event of defects, it can immediately connect to Massive's MES monitoring system, quickly responding to the relevant manufacturing decision-making department, subsequently utilizing ERP systems for project management and reviews, effectively improving production efficiency and reducing production costs Helps to reduce communication costs and aims to become an industry standard In terms of industry integration, it provides a foundational standard for data continuity among upstream and downstream businesses, reducing communication costs within the supply chain Through certification of the contract manufacturers and brand owners, there is a chance to become the industry standard configuration Through the data database established by this project, operators can further optimize their supply chain management solutions using big data analysis Data Analysis, based on data, establish forecast planning, and utilizing technology to link upstream and downstream data of the supply chain, accurately controlling product quality In the future, when interfacing with European, American, and Japanese markets, which demand highly fine-tuned orders, operators can respond and integrate the industry supply chain Supply Chain more swiftly Ultimately, through the benchmark demonstration industry's field verification, such as with the automotive component manufacturing industry used as the benchmark demonstration field, by implementing the robotic arm combined with AI for dynamic multi-angle AOI visual real-time quality inspection system project, the supply chain connection between automotive contract manufacturers and OEMs can be optimized, becoming the industry standard Further seeking more AI teams to join the cross-industry development on the field collaboration platform, driving the overall ecosystem combining AI innovation with field application Self-driving vehicle developed by Massive Digital Engineering「Translated content is generated by ChatGPT and is for reference only Translation date:2024-05-19」

【導入案例】維繫遊艇王國美譽 嘉信遊艇導入國內第一套FRP複材超音波智慧檢測
Maintaining the reputation of the “Kingdom of Yachts” - Kha Shing Enterprise introduces the first domestic FRP ultrasonic smart inspection of composite materials

The Kaohsiung-based Kha Shing Enterprise Co, Ltd was established over 40 years ago, and is Taiwan's largest customized yacht company with customers all over America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, earning Taiwan the reputation of the "Kingdom of Yachts" Current FRP hull inspection still relies on traditional methods, such as visual inspection and knocking sounds, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive Kha Shing has applied PAUT array ultrasonic inspection to hull FRP composite materials for the first time, and combined it with AI to interpret ultrasound images, develop complete intelligent solutions, and create emerging markets for inspection companies Kha Shing Enterprise Co, Ltd was formerly Kha Shing Wood Industry Co, Ltd, and was a factory specializing in wood import in Kaohsiung Linhai Industrial Park when it was first established It began to design, manufacture, and sell yachts in 1977 After the second-generation successor of the company, President Kung Chun-Hao entered the company, he made a breakthrough in the previous manufacturing model that relied mainly on the skills of master craftsmen, introduced digital manufacturing to accelerate shipbuilding, and began to make larger yachts, ranking in the top 20 manufacturers worldwide among manufacturers of large yachts over 24 feet It also set a record of delivering 94 yachts within one year, earning Taiwan the reputation of "Kingdom of Yachts" Defect detection ensures yacht quality, using AI to replace humans to achieve higher efficiency Defect detection is very important to ensuring yacht quality At present, the yacht industry still uses very traditional defect detection methods The hull structure is usually made by hand lay-up or the vacuum infusion process, using visual inspection or knocking and the frequency of the sound to determine defects It requires time-consuming manual inspection If there are any defects, they must be reworked and repaired, and a gel coat subsequently sprayed The hull must be constructed in sections to facilitate inspection For large yachts over 24 meters long, construction in sections is very time-consuming and labor-intensive To shorten the time of the yacht manufacturing process, Kha Shing Enterprise will first carry out the gel coating process for the hull, and then perform the hand lay-on process The hull manufacturing process has two types of composite material test specimen structures In terms of 54-foot yacht hulls, the hull contains gel coat, core material, fiber and resin, and the total thickness is about 32cmplusmn01cm, which is twice the total thickness of FRP hull without core material of about 16cmplusmn01cm Defects such as incomplete impregnation of glass fiber or residual air bubbles between glass fiber and resin occasionally occur during the manufacturing process The types of defects include insufficient resin, voids, and delamination Once defects occur, the supply of hull materials will be insufficient and yacht delivery will be delayed Schematic diagram of types of FRP hull In order to solve this problem, Kha Shing Enterprise has engaged in technical cooperated with the metal materials industry and the AI technology industry, combining the ultrasonic inspection expertise of the metal materials industry with AI technologies developed by the AI technology industry in recent years to help solve issues of Kha Shing Enterprise with defect detection The method uses PAUT on the composite material structure of yachts, conducts FRP ultrasonic evaluation to determine the thickness of the yacht hull and material properties, and evaluates the ultrasonic probe frequency applicable to the hull structure based on professional ultrasonic experience After testing, a frequency of 5MHz and a probe width of 45mm can successfully find the location and size of defects in the simulated defect test specimen The three parties jointly found defect detection solutions from array ultrasonic evaluation, AI technology model development, and actual application in yachts The image inspected is an ultrasound image The image displays different colors based on the ultrasonic feedback signal An AI model that automatically identifies defective parts is established through the YOLO algorithm If the amount of abnormal data collected is insufficient for training, the CNN-based Autoencoder algorithm is used to collect normal image data for training and construct an AI model for abnormality detection The object detection YOLO model is trained by inputting image data marked as having defects, while the abnormality detection model is trained by inputting image data without defects Simulated defective specimen corresponding to PAUT results Defect detection by and AI system can shorten the construction period by 15 months and speed up determination by 50 After the development of this AI system is completed, it will be validated on actual 54-foot yachts of Kha Shing Enterprise, and can effectively resolve issues with defects The application of AI technology in ultrasonic inspection for intelligent determination is expected to accelerate determination by approximately 50, and will also shortens the construction period by 15 months, effectively improving the speed and quality of the yacht manufacturing process As Taiwan develops larger and more refined yachts, it will create opportunities for industry optimization and transformation, as well as opportunities for the development of key technologies The application of an AI ultrasonic inspection solution for composite materials is the first of its kind in the yacht industry, and is expected to attract more yacht manufacturers with inspection needs The AI ultrasonic inspection solution for composite materials has three major competitive advantages 1 Professional inspection experience and digital database to facilitate process management and analysis 2 Automatic AI determination and identification quickly identifies defects and provides immediate feedback to process engineers 3 High-efficiency process inspection provides defect repair recommendations, reduces damage rate, and improves the strength and quality of composite materials The application of AI technology can optimize the yacht manufacturing process, reduce manual inspection, create added value through the application of AI in Taiwanrsquos yacht industry, increase international purchase orders, and allow Taiwan yachts to continue to enjoy a good reputation in the world Furthermore, this business model has also spread to fields of application related to composite materials, increasing cross-sector market usage It is estimated to contribute approximately NT14 to NT2 billion in economic benefits to Taiwan's equipment maintenance and non-destructive testing market

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AI Assists the Red Cross for Smarter Emergency Response

More Preparation Less Loss The Taiwan Food Bank Association, a non-profit organization, collects donations daily from wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, and even kind-hearted individuals across Taiwan They also rescue consumable materials that are about to be discarded, properly allocate and deliver to households in need, aiding local underprivileged populations When natural disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, mudslides, typhoons, floods, and droughts occur in Taiwan, the food bank's resources can be immediately deployed for disaster relief This field verification unit is the Nantou County Red Cross AssociationOne of the food bank locations, hereinafter referred to as the Nantou Red CrossIs responsible for tasks like pre-disaster supplies preparation and disaster relief material distribution, helping the government bear the responsibility of disaster relief and aid In Taiwan, various natural disasters have characteristics of different duration and spatial coverage, wide or narrow With the normalization of extreme weather, the scale and number of disasters are gradually increasing and becoming harder to predict The required amount and type of materials differ by disaster, and they must address the lifestyles of the affected areas, rescue needs, traffic conditions, geographical restrictions, and other factors for varied material allocation, facing numerous challenges Typhoon Kanu severely damaged transportation in Nantou mountain areas Nantou County Red Cross planned the mountainous route Puli gt Fazhi Elementary School gt Qin'ai Village gt Aowanda to deliver supplies Disasters happen repeatedly We need to be prepared at all times Effective disaster preparedness can mitigate the impact, including swift response to material needs in affected areas, aid distribution, and even psychological support, providing added security for life and property of those in disaster zones Lack of Timeliness in Disaster Information To improve the living conditions and address 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