New Standards in Image Inspection
Revolutionizing On-Site Inspection with “AI Image Inspection”
The Everlasting Challenge in Factories: “Inspection Processes and Quality Control”
One of the most common concerns our sales representatives hear from clients is how to streamline the “inspection” processes, such as “incoming inspection,” “in-process inspection,” and “pre-shipment inspection.”Despite technological advancements, many factories still rely on “visual inspections” conducted by inspectors, which inevitably incurs high time and cost burdens.
One of the major drawbacks of human visual inspection is the issue of “inspection reliability.”As long as humans are conducting visual inspections, there will inevitably be oversights or missed inspections. If defective products are discovered by the client, the company might be forced to review inspection standards, intensify retraining efforts, and in some cases, prepare reports explaining the causes and corrective actions, all of which lead to additional costs, creating a vicious cycle.
For simple-shaped products with straightforward inspection criteria, automation might be easier. However, for products with more complex shapes or intricate inspection criteria, full automation has been considered difficult, leaving human visual inspection as the only viable solution.
The Year of AI in Business
A breakthrough solution to these challenges is “AI Image Inspection.”
2023 has been dubbed the “Year of AI,” and 2024 is expected to be the “Year of AI in Business,” with AI becoming increasingly integrated across various sectors.
This trend has also brought significant advancements to the “image inspection” field, allowing AI to detect defects that might be missed using traditional methods.
We Want AI Like This, But…
At this stage, it’s important to consider “what kind of inspection is required” and “what kind of AI to use.”With the AI boom today, many companies are offering AI software with unique features. It’s essential to choose AI software that can meet your specific inspection needs.
In AI image inspection, just like in traditional image inspection, the process starts with “lighting selection” to capture images of the inspection target. This lighting selection is a critical factor that significantly affects the inspection results and is considered very difficult to manage without specialized knowledge.
This is one of the common pitfalls when considering AI implementation, and unfortunately, many people give up at this stage.
To Avoid Falling into These Traps
Leimac is here to provide full support.
At Leimac, we have a team of professionals with extensive experience in supporting various on-site inspection processes, helping clients evaluate AI implementation.
We use the knowledge and expertise that only professionals in image inspection can offer to provide the best solutions tailored to your company.
The Difference Between “With AI” and “Without AI”
One of the most challenging aspects of the “product inspection process” is dealing with variability in inspection criteria. In such inspection environments, in addition to clear criteria, judgments based on “intuition,” “tips,” and “experience” are often required, leading to different decisions even among skilled inspectors. This is one of the major challenges in the inspection field.
Let’s briefly touch on the differences between “AI-powered image inspection” and rule-based image inspection.
In rule-based image inspection, the process starts by specifying numerical standards or rules for the inspection criteria.
The image is analyzed based on predefined rules, with results being either pass or fail. However, this rigid approach can lead to the risk of over-inspection or under-inspection.
On the other hand, “AI-based image inspection” starts by teaching the AI good and bad patterns.
Based on the learned data, the AI analyzes images, detects new patterns and anomalies, and calculates the “pass probability.” This “pass probability” is a numerical value resulting from the AI’s complex analysis and processing, allowing the detection of complex patterns and subtle defects that might be missed by rule-based image inspection.
Additionally, using AI reduces the risk of human factors such as judgment variability, and the information beyond the aforementioned “intuition,” “knack,” and “experience” is datafied through AI learning, enabling the continuous and stable execution of complex inspections.
Please consult with Leimac Ltd. first.
Leimac Ltd. handles multiple AI image inspection software and will carefully listen to your project details to provide the best proposal by actually conducting “lighting selection” and “AI evaluation.”
For example, if the defect is easily visible, we will propose a cost-effective solution. If it is difficult to detect with AI judgment alone (such as requiring dimensional measurement), we will propose AI + rule-based software.
If a higher difficulty inspection that is hard to detect even visually is required, we will propose high-precision software with generative AI functions, offering a wide range of proposals according to your needs.
Consultation is free of charge.
One of the primary concerns clients have when consulting with professionals in specialized fields is the cost. In fact, many clients frequently inquire about the fees associated with consultations.
At Leimac, all consultation fees are “free.” While we may charge for verification using AI image inspection with your consent, you will never incur costs without your knowledge, so please rest assured.
Whether you are considering the introduction of AI image inspection or are just a little interested and want to know more, please feel free to contact Leimac. We look forward to hearing from you, and we sincerely await your inquiries.