How it works
From camera to part record
AIOR Vision is station software installed at the production cell. It evaluates the camera images, the line signals and the digital twin of the part together and records the results on the station; the records can also be viewed in the customer portal. The examples come from its first application, welding traceability.
How the system is built
Camera integration and detection
Thermal and visible-light cameras view the production cell from different sides; their number and positions depend on the cell. The cameras are connected to the station, and their images can be watched live on the station screens.
Each thermal camera has its own hot-area threshold (isotherm). The software looks for the moment new heat begins and evaluates the time just before and after it together. The images of all cameras that see the same event are merged into one decision: a welding arc, for example, is one event however many cameras see it.
Production line signals
The line's PLC reports when the cycle starts and ends, which part is being processed and the part's position:
- Cycle start: the part's monitoring interval begins.
- Cycle end: the monitoring interval ends and the cycle time is recorded.
- Part ID: a barcode, for example; the value that comes from the line is recorded exactly as received.
- Position: the part's current position, as reported by the machine.
AIOR Vision sends no data, acknowledgements or commands to the PLC. Cycles that arrive without a part ID are recorded too and shown separately in the reports.
Digital-twin calibration
During commissioning, every camera takes reference images of the part in different positions. From these images the software computes how each camera sees the part, so that during operation every event can be projected onto the 3D model with the part in its current position.
Calibration is started only from the calibration menu, by an authorised user. If a camera is moved, the calibration is repeated.
Mapping to named points and anomaly detection
Every operation point is defined by name on the part's 3D model; in welding cells these are the weld points. The detected event is projected onto the model with the part in its current position and matched to the most suitable point on the surface the cameras can see. Each record gets one of these statuses:
- Recorded: the operation was written to a point.
- Uncertain: it could not be determined which of two or more points the operation belongs to.
- Unplanned: the detected heat did not fall on a planned point.
- Fault: the record could not be evaluated because of a signal or image problem.
The part's record is compared with the plan: planned points without a record, unexpected or repeated operations and unexplained heat are flagged as deviations from the plan, that is, as anomalies. These decisions state whether operations were seen and which points they were written to; they are not a verdict on the operations' physical quality (for example, weld quality).
Records and backups
Records are written to a local database on the station PC; recording needs no internet connection. The database is backed up regularly on the station.
Detection and recording take place on the station; the server pulls from the station only the records the portal needs. The customer portal shows the copy of these records held on the server; data in the portal is not live.
Verification with a Capability Study
How well the system works in your cell is measured with a planned trial: operations are carried out one by one at selected points, and each one is marked CORRECT, WRONG or NOT DETECTED.
The report gives the capture and correct-recognition rates with exact 95% confidence intervals and attribute-equivalent Cp/Cpk values with their 95% lower bounds, and is saved as a PDF. Cp/Cpk here are equivalent indices derived from pass/fail results, not dimensional capability.
We publish no general accuracy figure on this site: the result is measured in your cell, with your trial.
Commissioning steps
Every installation starts with a review of the cell and the parts.
The duration depends on the cell and the number of parts; we set the schedule together after the review.
- Cell reviewIdentifying the parts, the operation points to monitor, the camera positions and the line signals.
- InstallationInstalling the cameras, the station PC and the network connections.
- PLC connectionReceiving the cycle, part ID and position signals, read-only.
- Part modelsDefining the 3D part models and their named operation points.
- Digital-twin calibrationTaking reference images of the part in different positions with every camera, and computing the projections.
- VerificationA planned trial and report with the Capability Study.
- HandoverUser training and opening the customer portal accounts.
Let's review your cell together
Tell us about your parts, the operations you want to monitor and your line signals; we will plan the installation together.