Redefining visual inspection with managed services

A complete offering for better defect detection at a lower cost

Defects expose automotive companies to financial ruin. Prevention is an obvious need, but defect-detection systems must be intuitive and agile to be effective for OEMs that produce tremendous volumes. Set up must be easy, as vehicle production is complex enough.

However, visual inspection systems are often intricate, with many underlying parts that must work well together. Image processing, computer vision, machine learning, robotics, and data-management processes must all be integrated into the manufacturing workflow seamlessly, with aggregated real-time feedback on a dashboard. Otherwise, the system will not be effective.

And OEMs may have systems from different technology partners already running in high gear, and this scattered approach introduces alignment hurdles when implementing a new or comprehensive system.

This means companies should be mindful of how they integrate visual inspection into their operating model. The simplest and most effective way is to implement it not as a one-size-fits-all solution, but for particular use cases.

This is the idea behind managed services for visual inspection. It is an opportunity to orchestrate a customized solution based on specific need, whether it is defect detection, quality assurance, or traceability in welding, painting, assembly, or any other process. If any technologies or services are required to drive the inspection for a use case, they can be brought in to support the inspection system accordingly.

Many OEMs already have hardwired inspection systems across the factory floor. Managed services can fill gaps with limited coverage or hard-to-run lines, complementing the existing framework. They can drive maximum benefit by being installed as stations within supplier locations, enabling a seamless flow of quality data between supplier and manufacturer.

This establishes a digital continuity, which brings a tremendous potential. For example, parts can be examined before they arrive at the facility to identify any issues more quickly. This also helps complete a fuller picture for digital twins through the supplier quality network, creating more opportunity to optimize production processes and unlocking a synergy between the supplier and OEM.

Capgemini’s managed services bypasses the need to buy a number of solutions from different vendors and stitch them together. It is a complete offering that supplies the engineering, networking, and application capabilities required for a specific need, bridging any gaps in the process. Its simple cloud-enabled wireless deployment means it can be easily integrated into a 5G network as an as-a-Service subscription model, avoiding costly equipment and networking requirements.

Above all, managed services are an opportunity to redefine visual inspection. This enables digital continuity for greater supply-chain resiliency, which as we know has become critical for operational stability.

Managed services ultimately allow OEMs to worry less about defects and quality issues and focus more on what matters: producing superior vehicles and taking them to the market sooner.