The pandemic has proven to be a turning point in business development. Many manufacturers begin to think about a higher percentage of automation to provide flexibility and resilience. Therefore, technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) and CV (computer vision) are gaining popularity.
The second automation method is one of the promising areas. The software is capable of solving many problems in various fields. And it provides incredible opportunities, making all manufacturing stages faster, easier, and cheaper.
Principles of Functioning
The team of AI engineers create the algorithms on the basis of the business goal of the future application. the success of the program will largely depend on the quality of the dataset. Depending on the purpose, the technique combines a machine approach and intelligent analysis for image or photo processing and identification. You can find more information about the pecularities of the development of custom software for quality assurance and control on the basis of CV and ML: https://softengi.com/blog/computer-vision-for-quality-control/.
The key component of the equipment is a camera directed at the production line. It captures images. The installed program processes and compares depiction to specifications to detect defects or similarities. Then it gives further instructions to other mechanisms.
Where Is Automation Method Used?
A person could make a mistake or be distracted, but a machine cannot. The application of a CV guarantees the high accuracy of the task. Computer vision for quality control has already been appreciated in many areas. CV-based equipment is being actively implemented in:
- medicine for counting bacteria, recognizing viruses, etc.
- the process of packaging to identify defective items;
- security option to patrol the perimeter;
- control of goods on the shelves in the supermarket.
Companies actively adopting CV are already seeing benefits in terms of budget and time-consuming. Such a system gives the result accuracy of 99%, unlike a human.
Use Cases: Computer Vision for Quality Control
More industries are becoming convinced of the reliability and efficiency of computer vision for quality control. Representatives of many sectors of production and the economy use CV.
Food Quality Check
CV is widely applied in the food industry: from safety checks to sorting and counting. The technology operates in a variety of ways:
- image enhancement and classification;
- identification of signs;
- segmentation by factors of freshness, size, pollution, uniformity of consistency, shape, etc.
The camera transmits the obtained pics, and the program analyzed the data using specific algorithms (scrap, color, type, etc.)
Computer Vision in Retail
Global giants-retailers are already using AI to improve their operations. Now it is possible to conduct analytics of the interaction of customers and goods in automatic mode in online and offline stores. You can determine how much time the client spent in the department and which route he laid through the store. These data allow you to improve the store design and optimize departments’ structure and product placement.
By adding a specialized algorithm to the system, you track the attention of buyers to individual items. The technology is essential for retailers for organizing space, distributing items, departments, and, as a result, increasing sales.
CV-powered software calculates the number of goods in the package, checks the size and shape, defects (chips, scratches, etc.), the correctness of the labeling, and the integrity of the box. The method includes such parameters as stopping the conveyor when an error is detected. As a result, manufacturers, by controlling quality, reduce production costs and increase efficiency.
