Automotive

Introducing Automated Optical Inspection & AI for Automotive Manufacturing  

The rise of alternative energy has spearheaded global innovation within the automotive industry, and we are witnessing an ever-increasing demand for electric vehicles. By 2040, nearly all new vehicles sold will be electrified. Lowering capital costs is necessary for manufacturers to contribute to the scaling up of EV adoptions across various markets. 

Inspections have always been a crucial part of the automotive manufacturing process, and manufacturers must find ways to increase yields while scaling at pace. Nanotronics offers world-class solutions.

Our flagship AOI platform, nSpec®, is used to inspect automotive displays, tires, batteries, sensors, LEDs, LiDAR, and the power conversion chips that are integrated within electric and autonomous vehicles. 

Why Use AOI in Auto Manufacturing?  

Automated optical inspection (AOI) uses cutting-edge AI and machine learning (ML) systems to provide automotive manufacturers the advantage needed to pioneer the future of their industry.  

When you implement Nanotronics’ nSpec® tool as a foundational element of your automated non-destructive testing (NDT) processes, you save time while reducing costs.

Microscopic AOI in Action: Vehicle Quality Control   

Nanotronics’ nSpec® system combines microscopy, high-resolution imagery, AI, and robotics to reinvent and revolutionize the automotive inspection process. The following are a few ways our system can optimize QC:

Identifying Microscopic Defects Undetectable to the Human Eye 

In addition to observing details at the nanoparticle scale, our system uses ML to categorize, classify, and assign causality to flaws; it is constantly learning and improving its ability to recognize anomalies. 

Identifying Debris and Foreign Objects 

Contaminants can continue to damage materials after the inspection stage. Our system ensures they don’t go undetected. 

Protecting Against Subpar Assembly and Other Workmanship Flaws 

Despite high standards, human error is still a factor in modern automotive manufacturing. Our automated system helps you identify and minimize mistakes to avoid repeating them. 

Collecting Valuable Data from Every Scan 

Saving on time and cost involves extracting data from automated vehicle component inspections to optimize processes. For example, our nSpec® PS system inspects wafers and generates a complete defect map report that is then stored for future use.

Advantages of AI in Automotive Manufacturing:  

1. Nanotronics incorporates our nSpec® suite, nControl™, and nControl LIVE™ platforms under the networked AIPC™ ecosystem to detect subtle process anomalies, address any risks associated with potential contamination, and prevent potential malicious activity.  
2. Our proprietary ML technology deploys supervised learning, data augmentation, pattern recognition, and local instancing to maximize data integrity, security, and robustness.   
3. AIPC™ is designed to reinforce a factory’s operations, and by synthesizing existing data with actively collected data, it fills in informational gaps that a network of dispersed operators naturally produces.
    

Automotive Industry Applications:   

AIPC™ saves you time and money by reducing waste and building a comprehensive repository of high-quality, actionable data. 

Reduce Defects 

Excellent workmanship cannot account for defects in components that go overlooked. Our system catches even the smallest anomaly. 

Identify Contaminants 

Defect-free materials can still be damaged further along in the production process if contamination isn’t identified and rectified. 

Improve Processes 

Using AIPC™, manufacturers can monitor and streamline more aspects of production than ever before. Our platform compiles key data points that improve production protocols and save on lost time.

Solutions:  

Manufacturers need a reliable way to identify contaminants and defects at every stage of the manufacturing process. With nSpec®, you can reduce costs while increasing yields across supply chains. 

Automotive Inspection 

Identify defects and contaminants to consistently build your best products. Deploying Nanotronics’ AI-backed inspection system for automotive manufacturing makes it possible to collect granular microdata and detailed metrics. This allows you to make fast, data-driven decisions with certainty, guaranteeing that deficiencies aren’t overlooked.   

Our nSpec® systems can be linked through the AIPC™ platform—a suite of consultation services for training, building, and deploying AI pipelines, expediting innovation from R&D to production.

Process Control 

Nanotronics brings results of real-time, untapped data to automotive manufacturing. Since the advent of AI-assisted automation, car manufacturers have searched for ways to make more actionable adjustments to their processes.  

With AIPC™’s superior monitoring capabilities, manufacturers can gather previously unattainable data. You’ll be able to keep an eye on additional manufacturing stages in between those traditionally inspected, resulting in robust metrics that are then correlated to process measurements. Using signal splitters to connect sensors throughout your facility, AIPC™ will add deep learning to your processes, feeding you alerts and KPI predictions and helping you avoid errors. 

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) 

Nanotronics brings more than a decade of manufacturing expertise to inspection processes, and our AIPC™ platform can be tailored to meet your needs. As you innovate for the future of the automotive industry, nSpec® will adapt to novel materials and components while adjusting to any stage of production. From prototyping to full assembly—more precise inspections save time and costs.

The Nanotronics Difference  

Nanotronics leads the Industrial AI sector with modular AOI systems that meet the requirements of any factory. With fast lead times, ranging from 120–180 days, our microscopic visual inspection systems will help optimize your automotive manufacturing inspections and process control needs without delay. 

 Reduce product waste and costs while increasing efficiency across each stage of manufacturing. Our cost-effective nSpec® suite is highly compact, with a fraction of the typical AOI system’s footprint. Our tools empower you to customize all inspection stages, providing you with repeatable, reliable results. 

Contact sales@nanotronics.co for information on partnerships and to learn more about our product suite.