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【2020 Application Example】 AOI fabric inspector lowers the false negative rate, and reduced the re-inspection volume by 70%

Low detection rate, slow speed, difficult recruitment and high personnel costs

The textile industry has always been a labor-intensive industry. At present, almost all textile companies worldwide still inspect fabrics manually. There are three major pain points in manual fabric inspection: Low detection rate, slow speed, difficulty in recruiting workers, and high personnel costs On average, a fabric inspector can find up to 200 defects in one hour with a defect detection rate of about 70%.

However, inspectors are only able to maintain their concentration for 20 to 30 minutes at most, and their fabric inspection speed is generally limited to 20 to 30cm/s. Fabric inspectors become fatigued if they exceed this time and speed.

Domestic and foreign AOI fabric inspection machines purchased by textile manufacturers have not yet been officially integrated into the production line. At the beginning, 10,000 suspected defects could be detected in one roll of fabric. The detection rate was high but the accuracy [screening] was low. The number of suspected defects has been reduced to 7000, but is still not at the level of experienced inspectors.

High-speed cameras capture defects and record defect locations

▲High-speed cameras capture defects and record their locations

The rule-based defect identification method currently used by manufacturers requires a lot of adjustment time (about 1 to 3 months) before the manufacturers (site) actually uses it, and there is currently no solution to automatically correct the identification model after use. As a result, manufacturers need to spend extra time to adjust parameters. Therefore, it requires considerable cost for both manufacturers and clients (sites).

Current manufacturers' grey cloth inspection process

▲Current grew fabric inspection process of manufacturers

The specific method used by the guidance team and cooperating manufacturers to implement AI identification technology and learning framework (for model retraining) into the defect inspection process is described below

1. AI-based defect identification model:

Utilizes the large amount of image data collected (including fabrics with and without defects) to construct the defect detection model through machine learning, such as SVM, or deep learning object detection methods, such as SSD or YOLOv3. This model is used to determine the condition of the surface of grey fabric and determine if it is a normal product or a defective product, thereby achieving defect identification.

2. Identification model retraining framework:

If there is an error in the judgment of the visual inspector, the image will be marked and the data will be used in the dataset for re-training. After a certain number of misjudged data is accumulated, the system will automatically start the identification model retraining function, and the new model that is generated will automatically replace the old recognition model, thereby achieving the purpose of model update.

Post-project implementation grey cloth defect inspection process

▲Grey fabric defect inspection process after the implementation of this project

Low false negative rate and solves the challenges of labor shortage and higher quality requirements in the industry

This project uses a deep learning network architecture to reclassify defects that are detected, including real defects and false defects, and can further classify real defects and false defects to lower the false negative rate of traditional AOI solutions. This is expected to reduce re-inspection volume by 70% and above for fabric inspectors, eliminate concerns about implementation in the current production line, accelerate the application of AI-based AOI solutions by textile manufacturers, and solve the challenges of labor shortage and higher quality requirements in the industry.

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這是一張圖片。 This is a picture.
AI-Based PCBA Surface Defect Detection Improvements

With the introduction of theAOIAIWith the introduction of the system, we can improve product yield, reduce costs, and from a business perspective, increase customer trust and sales revenue Moreover, AIit has advantages that are difficult to imitate, unlike other equipment that can be bought with money, making it hard for our competitors to catch up with us Our company's current development We are committed toIOTsmart manufacturing our systems already include smart materials systems, environmental humidity control systems, anti-miscarriage systems, smart procurement computation systems, smart inventory systems, solder paste management systems, and production management systems We have asked other manufacturers about the possibility ofAIinspectingPCBAsurface defects, each hoping that we would purchase their equipment, but none were effective upon verification After discussing with IT service providers, we defined it asAOIAIa feasible operational model Tzuhong Technology has invested inAOIAIan inspection plan to checkSMTtext on components, solder joints, polarity, missing partsand usingAIto replace manual learningAOIand define the 'potentially defective' parts, enhancing productivity and reducing misjudgment rates Industry pain points Taiwan faces a severe labor shortage, especially those willing to perform visual inspections are few and typically older, increasing the frequency of missed inspections Thus, the most critical bottleneck in the pursuit of high-quality electronics has become post-production inspections Previous consumer products with undetected anomalies were acceptable within a certain ratio However, in the automotive industry today, undetected defects could lead to fatalities hence, the automotive industry has extremely high quality demands To survive in the automotive supply chain, we must address the issue of undetectable anomalies Moreover, as wages in Taiwan continue to rise, we can only endeavor toAIreplace traditional manpower with technology, otherwise, even if the anomaly leakage problem is resolved, the relatively high labor costs will still prevent competitiveness in this industry Application technology and explanation Initially,Figure 1,PCBUpon emerging,Reflowsystem, it will undergoAOIwill undergo inspection, dividing into 'suspected defective' and good products At this point, the 'suspected defective' portion accounts for20manual review for these20parts, further classifying the 'suspected defective' portion into good and defective products With We aim to leverageAItechnology, to shift from manual re-inspection of these20technology, we aim to replace manual review of 'suspected defective' products withAIand after review, the results still yield 'good' and 'suspected defective' products, but now 'suspected defective' comprises only3thus reducing the workload of Tzuhong's employees from20down to only3In theory, it isAOIIn theory, after inspection, it is further reviewed byAIbut it appears to go throughAOIonly, so we call this technologyA0IAIDetectionFigure 2。 The original AOI inspection process The operator will place the testPCBboard intoAOIthe inspection equipment, outputtingAOI information on defective products, then manually re-inspect one by one to determine if they are defective AOIAI inspection process The operator will place the testPCBboard intoAOIthe inspection equipment, outputtingAOIinformation on defective products after, then proceed byAIfirst performingAOIre-assessment of defective products, outputtingAIinformation on defective products afterward, then manually re-inspect one by one to determine if they are defective Process differences By introducing theAOIAIsystem, not only can we enhance the efficiency and yield of visual inspection personnel, we also have this timeAIexperience in system introduction, we will also incorporateAIthe use of big data into Tzuhong's existing smart manufacturing systems, further enhancing the performance of our smart manufacturing systems and reducing the pressure on employees Difference between pre and post-introduction Promotion strategy 1 Similar field diffusion allSMTmanufacturers face bottlenecks in inspections leading to shipment delays introducing this system can solve the severe labor shortage issue and enhance shipment speed and quality, allowing self-promotion to customers or through equipment dealers to cater to relevant needs 2 Cross-industry expansion plans negotiate withAOImanufacturers to directly integrateAIthe system intoAOItheir systems, enhancing their market competitiveness Profit strategy 1 In collaboration withAOImanufacturers, collect licensing fees 2 Direct sales toSMTthe manufacturing industryAIsystems 3 ProvideSMTmanufacturing industryAOIAIsystem subscription model「Translated content is generated by ChatGPT and is for reference only Translation date:2024-12-09」

【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】挺進智慧物流50 新竹物流醫材配送班表超高效率
Advancing to Smart Logistics 5.0: Hsinchu Logistics Delivers Medical Materials with Ultra-High Efficiency

After incorporating AI technology, traditional logistics companies have seen significant improvements in transportation efficiency and reductions in transportation costs, especially in the transfer of medical materials which involves timely service and rights of hospitals and patients The implementation of intelligent logistics can save medical material businesses the cost of constructing GDP warehouses and other expenses up to millions A major domestic logistics leader, Hsinchu Transport HCT, owns a fleet of 3,500 vehicles and a storage area of 60,000 square meters, providing customized logistics solutions including logistics, commerce, finance, information, distribution, storage, and processing The company handles up to 580,000 parcels per day, with a maximum capacity reaching 900,000 parcels, making the enhancement of transshipment efficiency crucial for HCT Medical materials transportation at hospitals need optimization of current operational processes and enhancements in systematization and intelligence Especially the transportation of hospital medical materials, which encounters various challenges Medical materials suppliers need to cater to varying customer product demands, temperature requirements, and delivery times through multiple logistics providers This highly depends on the experience and careful control of operations staff Whether it is the product shipment or actual logistics process, each step must be interconnected Any human errors can impact the service timing and rights of the hospitals and patients Thus, all concerned businesses, along with the government and hospitals, are working to optimize current operational processes and elevate the level of systematization, automation, and intelligence to minimize service errors and cost losses HCT's distribution process prior to AI implementation Currently, with the government's push for standardized platform operations on the demand side of hospitals, supply-side businesses collaborate through data coordination to improve the accuracy and efficiency of product shipments, enhancing operational quality and management benefits at the demand side At the same time, some businesses are also investing in the standardization and systematization of internal operational processes, thus enhancing operational efficiency and quality In the freight logistics sector, logistics companies' warehouse staff need to expend labor to control different logistics shipment operations If they often receive emergency task notifications for shipments to medical facilities, they usually depend on small regional logistics providers to provide customized delivery services Although this improves delivery times, it does not allow for integrated informational services The new GDP regulations for medical materials require suppliers to undergo GDP compliance certification Therefore, Hsinchu Transport, assisted by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' AI coaching program, not only extends existing logistics services compliant with GDP regulations but will also use data integration and optimized AI technologies to help medical material businesses streamline and improve their logistics operations Complex logistics issues are solved using the Simulated Annealing SA algorithm To meet the 'Good Distribution Practices for Medical Devices,' Hsinchu Transport is not only actively introducing new logistics vehicles but will also implement artificial intelligence-based mathematical optimization technologies to assist in intelligent scheduling at nationwide business points and transshipment stations They aim to optimize the routing of medical materials between business points or regions thereby enhancing efficiency in the distribution process Currently, during the transshipment process of medical materials at Hsinchu Transport, detachable tractor heads and containers are used Each business point and transshipment station differ in location design and staffing, impacting the throughput per unit of time Furthermore, daily cargo conditions size, destination vary, and due to these fluctuating and distinct demands, the deployment of tractor heads and containers changes accordingly Under these circumstances, Hsinchu Transport relies on past experiences to schedule departures at each satellite depot and adjusts daily according to the cargo needs Due to the reliance on empirical scheduling, it is often difficult to consider all variables and considerations, leaving room for improvement in the current departure schedules The cargo delivery planning inherently constitutes an NP-Hard problem, difficult to solve with traditional analytical methods Hsinchu Transport, in collaboration with Singular Infinity, utilizes the Simulated Annealing SA algorithm to find solutions The new logistic service introduced by Hsinchu Transport is 'GDP Container Shift Planning' This planning involves estimating future volumes of medical materials between stations and scheduling container truck shifts accordingly, ensuring timely and quality delivery of medical materials while maximizing operational benefits and reducing travel distances Hsinchu Transport introduces AI-optimized shift planning, constructing the most efficient route from its origin to destination Hsinchu Transport introduces 'Optimized Shift Planning' service, reducing transportation costs by 5 The introduction method involves using cloud software services Hsinchu Transport regularly inputs 'Interchange Item Tables' from station to station into the 'Optimized Shift Planning' service After setting the algorithm parameters, a GDP container shift schedule is generated At the same time, developing a Hsinchu Transport medical material scheduling system allows Hsinchu Transport's medical transport units to compile suitable schedules through the Interchange Item Tables Under the same level of service, it's estimated that this can reduce transportation costs by 5, saving medical material businesses millions in construction costs for GDP warehouses and distribution Due to its requirements for sanitation, temperature, and its fragility, the transportation and transshipment of medical materials should be minimized to reduce exposure and risk However, logistics efficiency and costs must still be considered AI designs the most efficient route for each cargo from its origin to destination, effectively completing daily transportation tasks In response to the future high development demand of industrial logistics, distribution and transshipment AI optimization will be a key issue Through this project, a dedicated project promotion organization will be established, staffed with AI technology, IT, and process domain talents After accumulating implementation experience, the application of AI will gradually expand, comprehensively optimizing and transforming Hsinchu Transport's operational system, and partnering with AIOT and various AI domain partners to accelerate and expand the achievement of benefits「Translated content is generated by ChatGPT and is for reference only Translation date:2024-05-19」