{"id":63846,"date":"2022-04-30T17:01:47","date_gmt":"2022-04-30T08:01:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/avinton.com\/?p=63846"},"modified":"2024-08-16T16:48:19","modified_gmt":"2024-08-16T07:48:19","slug":"machine-vision-and-edge-ai-in-smart-factories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/avinton.com\/en\/blog\/2022\/04\/machine-vision-and-edge-ai-in-smart-factories\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart Manufacturing: How Modern Factories Use Machine Vision & Edge AI to Increase Efficiency"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the wake of increasing digital transformation initiatives, most companies these days are well aware of the necessity of data utilization in order to stay competitive and innovative in the future. More than one-third of worldwide digital transformation investment is spent in process and discrete manufacturing.<\/p>\n

With the rapidly expanding internet of things (IoT), shop floors in the manufacturing industry will soon include hundreds of billions of connected industrial assets. These IoT devices \u2013 ranging from machines to sensors \u2013 operate continuously and in real-time. This results in unprecedented amounts of so-called Big Data \u2013 data volumes that are too large, too complex, too fast-moving or too weakly structured to be analyzed using manual and conventional data processing methods. Big Data presents manufacturing companies with a major challenge, highlighting the need for new digital technologies.<\/p>\n

In Industry 4.0 \u2013 or the \u201cfactory of the future\u201d \u2013 image processing technology is a crucial component that helps drive industrial automation. In this article, we will discuss high-potential use cases for implementing technologies like Edge AI and Machine Vision into manufacturing companies. And as true digital transformation does not end at the stage of implementation, this article will also propose ways to achieve an end-to-end data workflow that generates actual business value. After all, by utilizing the latest tools in data analytics, we want to solve core business problems and help companies stay competitive and innovative.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is Edge AI?<\/h2>\n

Be it for the automation of processes or for the analysis of large amounts of data: intelligent and self-learning systems are becoming increasingly important in manufacturing processes. Until now, these intelligent systems have always had to be connected to a cloud, as this provides the large computing power for the mathematical algorithms.<\/p>\n

With Edge AI, the next generation of intelligent systems is now on the horizon: the intelligence is shifted from a remote cloud into the end devices themselves. These devices can be attached to various sensors, generating data continuously. Instead of transferring all of this data to the cloud first, Edge AI devices process and analyze it locally and in real-time. The key benefits of Edge AI include the securing of data sovereignty, the improvement of data economy, and the reduction of latency.<\/p>\n

What is Machine Vision?<\/h2>\n

Machine Vision refers to applications that use image capturing and image processing technology to automate industrial production processes. In concrete terms, this means that cameras are installed on manufacturing shop floors, often as part of an Edge device. These cameras continuously capture image data which is instantly processed and analyzed on an attached nano-computer. The results are passed on to downstream systems in the form of actions or specific control signals.<\/p>\n

Machine Vision technology allows operators to monitor machinery and the movement of factory workers, and to carry out quality checks and dimensional inspections faster and more accurately than ever before. It requires robust, fast, reliable, and stable systems that can withstand the demands of the industrial environment (such as strong mechanical loads, high or low temperatures, and other adverse environmental conditions).<\/p>\n

Functionality and Components of Machine Vision<\/b><\/h2>\n

Machine Vision uses a combination of different hardware devices and software for image capturing and image processing. Central components of Machine Vision are:<\/span><\/p>\n