Use Case: Surface Inspection

Surface inspection is a critical part of quality control for a wide range of industries. Regardless of the product being inspected, surface inspections are often a subjective process. In one case, we engaged with a large commercial bakery making bread and other pastries found in groceries stores. Bakeries like these generate $15bn a year in revenue and operate 50-70 bakeries globally. 

Check out one such bakery here:

To maintain quality, inspections should occur in several places along the line. Since these inspections are mostly subjective, consistency is key to maintain the commercial bakery’s brand, and is a significant challenge. Most often inspection is done by hand, with 1 out of every 100 trays pulled off the line for inspection by a full-time employee. 

Recently, significant shifts in the market demand have led to increased purchasing by consumers and decreased purchasing by wholesalers like restaurants. In addition, the company must follow guidelines for fewer people on the floor. Therefore the company must adapt to the new normal. They’ve added an additional shift, but have less time for machine maintenance, which means consistent inspection is more critical than ever.

Implementing vision AI software on the production line can reduce interruptions to the flow of production, improve consistency, and allow the factory to remain flexible in light of the rapidly changing market. Learn how: Neurala VIA for surface inspection