Robro Systems - Blog , Fabric Defect Detection

Automation in Manufacturing Industry and its benefits in FIBC Industry

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:54:46 +0000

Automation has played a significant role in the manufacturing industry for decades, but recent advances in technology have led to even greater automation capabilities. Before understanding the benefits of automation in FIBC industry, let’s discuss more on automation in manufacturing industry. Automation can improve efficiency, increase productivity, and reduce costs in manufacturing. It can also lead to improved product quality and consistency, as well as increased safety for workers.

There are many different types of automation that are used in the manufacturing industry, including:

Process Automation

Robotics are used in manufacturing to automate repetitive and physically demanding tasks, such as welding and assembly. Process automation improves precision, speed, and efficiency in manufacturing processes and can also be used to handle hazardous materials.

Automatic inspection and quality control

Combining AI with machine vision ensures faster performance and accurate inspection on the existing production line.

Automatic packaging

Automation in packaging saves lots of time on the assembly line. It is especially helpful in packaging the products of homogeneous nature like pharmaceuticals, candies, matchsticks, etc

Assembly Line Automation

Safety of workers is also crucial for the continuity of assembly line processes. Automation of certain activities that includes handling of heavy machineries often impose threat to workers’ lives. The combination of several systems also reduces the downtime of the work.

Process monitoring: To improve automation in manufacturing, artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used effectively. These technologies can be used to optimize manufacturing processes, remote monitoring of processes, remote troubleshooting, SCADA systems, parameter settings, etc.
Predictive maintenance: Predictive maintenance, with the help of AI, uses data and technology to predict when equipment is likely to fail and schedule maintenance activities accordingly. This helps to avoid unplanned downtime and minimize the costs associated with equipment failures.

Industry 4.0

Automation also plays an important role in Industry 4.0, which is the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. With advancements in IoT and digitalization, Industry 4.0 aims to create a smart and connected factory where machines, devices, sensors, and people are connected to a cyber-physical system.

Benefits of Automation in Manufacturing Industry

The most significant benefit of automation in manufacturing is the ability to increase efficiency and productivity. Automated systems can work continuously and can operate at faster speeds than human workers. This leads to increased output and reduced labour costs.
Automation also can help reduce human error, which leads to improved product quality and consistency.
Another benefit of automation in manufacturing is improved safety for workers. Automated systems can perform tasks that would be dangerous for humans, such as handling hazardous materials or working in extreme temperatures. By reducing the need for human workers in certain areas, manufacturers can create a safer working environment.
It can increase efficiency, productivity, and product quality, while also reducing wastage to a great extent. As technology continues to advance, it is likely that we will see even greater automation capabilities in the future.

Challenges of Automation

In addition to the benefits, there are also some challenges and drawbacks to automation in manufacturing.

One of the main challenges is the cost of implementing automation systems. Automation systems can be expensive to purchase and maintain, and there may be additional costs associated with retraining workers or modifying production processes. But it is worth it in the long run.
The implementation of automation systems requires a high level of technical expertise. Manufacturers must have skilled personnel who can design, install, and maintain these systems. A shortage of qualified personnel can pose a significant challenge for manufacturers, particularly in regions with a skills gap in the workforce.
The integration of different automated systems can be a challenge. For example, if a manufacturer has multiple automated systems from different vendors, integrating them can be difficult. This can lead to compatibility issues, downtime, and reduced efficiency.
Automation systems are designed to perform specific tasks, and they may not be easily adaptable to changes in product design, production volumes, or market demands. This lack of flexibility can limit the ability of manufacturers to respond to changing market conditions and customer demands.

Implementation of Automation in manufacturing:

Automation systems are often customized to fit a specific production line and product which requires investment in design, development, and implementation. However, this investment can bring significant benefits in the long run such as increased efficiency, reduced productions, etc.

Despite challenges, automation in manufacturing has the potential to bring significant benefits. However, it is important for manufacturers to consider the costs and potential impact on the workforce when implementing automation systems.

It is also important to mention that this kind of automation must be used together with a human-centered approach, improving the collaboration and skills of the operators to achieve the best outcome. Automation is not a replacement but a powerful tool to enhance human potential.

FIBC industry automation and its benefits

Automation has various benefits in the manufacturing industries that we have discussed above. If we talk about the FIBC industry, in recent years, it has witnessed many developments related to automation for increasing efficiency and reducing wastage.

A few benefits are listed below -

Efficiency: Automation in the FIBC (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container) industry can greatly increase the efficiency of manufacturing processes by detecting the defects at a much faster rate compared to manual inspection.
Quality: The specialized cameras with best illumination techniques detect even the smallest issues in the product.
Reduced Costs: Automation reduces the process of rework and rejection. With high quality image mapping even the slightest defects are easily detected, that improves the efficiency of the overall batch.
Increased Safety: Automation can reduce the risk of accidents and injuries in the workplace, as machines and robots can perform tasks that would be dangerous for humans to do manually.
Improved Consistency: In automatic inspection the process is controlled by algorithms and cameras, which can eliminate human error and provide consistent results.
Greater Flexibility: Automation solutions could be designed to integrate with existing machines this helps to minimize initial investments, Automation control systems could also be designed flexible enough to accommodate changes in production processes and equipment, this can include the ability to add or remove control modules, adjust control algorithms, and update software as needed.
Increased Accuracy: Automatic inspection can be highly accurate if the algorithms, cameras, quality of the data to train the system, etc., are designed and implemented correctly, On the other hand, manual inspection is subject to human error and interpretation, leading to lower accuracy.
Increased Scalability: Automation can help manufacturers scale up production to meet demand without the need for additional labor
Better data collection: Automatic systems generate tremendous data that helps to make better decisions. Identify process bottlenecks and improvements, keep track of production and downtime, waste generated on production lines, to allocate resource effectively.
Better utilization of resources: Automation allows for precise use of materials and helps reduces unnecessary wastage during the manufacturing process, helping to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

In conclusion, automation in the FIBC industry can bring a lot of benefits to the manufacturing process, from improved efficiency and quality control to increased safety and cost savings. As technology continues to evolve, it is likely that automation will play an even greater role in the industry in the future.

5 benefits of using smart cutting and waste reduction system in the FIBC industry

Sat, 15 Oct 2022 12:32:33 +0000

India’s Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (FIBC) industry is considered to have the highest growth opportunities in the global FIBC market. This growth is driven by increased international trade and favorable initiatives by the Indian government to drive manufacturing in the nation. Industries in India that use FIBCs, like food products, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fertilizers have seen considerable growth over this period, which has also driven the growth in FIBC sales. According to experts, the Indian FIBC industry is set to grow at a rate of 2x in the year 2022-23.

To capitalize on this growth in domestic sales and exports, stringent quality standards and optimal waste reduction are essential. During the cutting process in FIBC manufacturing, an error can result in entire cut sheets being discarded owing to a defective sheet. Typically, the FIBC industry has depended on skilled, experienced personnel keeping an eagle eye on materials and machines to ensure a defect-free process. As production ramps up, this becomes impractical, costly, and potentially hazardous, with so many people deployed on the production floor.

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Hence, a machine vision-based, AI-enabled system like the Kiara Web Inspection System (KWIS) can detect these defects and perform cutting accurately, reducing wastage by as much as 50%.

Installs onto your existing machinery

KWIS is a compact, robust system that can be installed directly on an existing Cutting machine. It consists of a mechanical assembly for support, an optical assembly for image capturing, and a computing assembly for distance measuring and stopping.

Machine learning for ongoing defect recognition and prevention

The system can be programmed with parameters of current cut length, material, and tolerance levels, and machine learning allows KWIS to learn about new kinds of defects on the go. The process relies on a machine learning model that is trained with thousands of defective and defect-free images. Machine learning is a continuous process, making the system smarter with more time and data.

Rich, informative defect reports, available on multiple devices

KWIS is able to provide digitalized, easily accessible data on frequency and types of defects, allowing manufacturers to identify trends and problem areas, and take the requisite steps. The computing assembly includes a high-end industrial PC, a cloud-node for data analytics and reporting, accurate stopping logic, and a touch-panel PC. This makes reports available on a variety of end-user devices.

Versatile enough to catch all defects

The system is able to recognize and flag the whole gamut of potential defects, including: knots, dust, gaps, holes, breakages, missing warp/weft, and extra warp/weft. In case a defect is found, the stopping distance is calculated and communicated to the PLC to give the proper signal.

Real-time defect detection

Using its bank of data on defects, KWIS identifies defects and cutting in such a manner as to reduce material wastage. In case a defect is found, the stopping distance is calculated and communicated to the PLC to give the proper signal. In case of variable length between camera and cutting station, multiple encoders ensure accurate distance measurement. If there are multiple simultaneous defects with distance less than the cut length, this distance is updated.

In addition, the system is customizable as to number of cameras, line-light length, processor specs, and can be deployed on most cutting systems. This ensures that your KWIS installation is geared towards the particular needs of your KWIS manufacturing unit.

To find out how KWIS can use the power of smart cutting and waste reduction to maximize profitability and reduce wastage in your FIBC manufacturing process, get in touch with us today!

An Effort Towards Reducing Industrial Textile Waste

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 07:09:24 +0000

The textile industry is one of the most competitive industries, which makes quality control of utmost importance. Buyers judge the manufacturers based on their ability for delivering superior quality textiles at affordable prices, with efficiency being at its core.

Therefore, manufacturers require strict quality control processes across the entire production line to ensure the final products are of the highest quality. Companies must accurately source the raw materials and check the perfection of the fabric construction. Additionally, they must ensure the final products have zero defects to ensure their sustainability in this highly competitive industry.

The technical advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and deep learning along with processing capabilities improve autonomous decision-making for quality control and optimizing the production process. Machine vision for textile industry uses non-destructive techniques (NDTs) to collect information about various objects without physical intervention.

The commonest application is for quality control, where the extracted visual features are used by the operators to make accurate and timely decisions. Automated textile inspection is widely used for replacing human interventions during the entire production process and allows the production of customized fabrics based on consumer requirements.

Textile and Technology Integration

Textiles include various types of materials made from natural and synthetic fibers. To ensure the finished products are defect-free, inspecting the fibers during the production process is important.

This also can result in a 45% to 60% savings on the total expenditure due to wastage or recalling defective products.

The production processes must be based on the end-use as it may include apparel, automotive interiors, insulation, home decor, and more. There is a risk that defects arise due to the textile item, such as when inferior quality materials are selected.

Find out solutions specific to Textile Industry

Detecting Structural Defects

Waste in textile industry can result in huge losses for the manufacturers, which may even impact their sustenance. Computer vision used for reducing such wastage generally involves using high-resolution cameras that can check the quality and provide accurate feedback for making the right production decisions.

The inspection is done with the help of software for image processing. Automated inspection is crucial for defect detection in moving parts at high speeds. The ability of these high-tech systems to work continuously and consistently helps in significantly improving the profitability for the manufacturers.

Line scan cameras are widely used to detect defects in the textile industry. These use single pixel lines for the construction of continuous 2D images as the materials pass through the production line. The cameras can capture superior quality images of various types of materials, which help in detecting any pattern changes without any breaks. Additionally, these cameras can notify operators about any changes in color and texture.

The advanced cameras provide smear-free images at high speeds and come with greater efficiency for processing and lower cost for pixels when compared with conventional area cameras. Timely, continuous, and accurate defect detection using these advanced line cameras ensure any defective material is removed in time before the completion of the entire production process. This helps in reducing textile industry waste as it prevents discarding finished products due to defects.

The textile industry is characterized by repetitive automatic processes and quality-related applications for mass production and lower defects. Machine vision systems capture contextual images of the fabrics and the image quality is improved using filters and advanced techniques enabled by deep learning, ML, and AI. These advanced technologies provide the system with thinking capabilities, which allows the machine vision systems to predict or classify situations that have not been previously experienced.

A significance of textile waste in India occurs during the production process. The wasted material is classified as post-industrial waste or pre-consumer waste. Such wastage not only affects the production efficiency and profitability of the manufacturers, but is harmful to the environment too as it is sent to landfills or burned into ash.

Catch All Fabric Defects

Computer vision is an important tool to reduce textile waste, which helps in minimizing costs while maximizing profitability. These advanced systems allow almost 100% defect-free production, which minimizes waste and promotes ecological sustainability as defects are detected before the products are finished and shipped to the buyers.