Background
FerroTec, a precision components manufacturer, was facing rising inspection costs and inconsistent results due to heavy reliance on manual inspection.
Each product took 20–24 seconds to check and depending on output volume, between 50 and 70 operators were required per shift.
Because any missed defect could trigger a full batch return from customers, the company needed a more reliable, automated system to safeguard quality and strengthen customer trust.
Solution
Nordbo Robotics developed and delivered an AI-based AOI system optimised for throughput and reliability in a demanding production environment.
Key focus areas included:
Inspection accuracy and speed
The system captures and analyses surface images in real time, achieving stable defect detection performance while reducing inspection cycle time to 3.5–4 seconds per part, - roughly five to six times faster than manual inspection.
Operational stability
To ensure reliability during continuous operation, the setup was reinforced with robust hardware components and a structured maintenance program.
Scalability across lines
The system’s modular design made it easy to replicate across product lines, enabling the manufacturer to extend automation quickly once initial results were validated.
The automated solution adopted a robot loading and unloading method, placing each product on a rotating turntable that enables inspection of all six sides in one cycle.
Using AI visual inspection technology, the system detects a wide range of surface issues, including:
Welding and nickel irregularities
Scratches, breaks, and cracks
Surface contamination or impurities
This configuration ensures uniform coverage and high detection accuracy across different product types and material surfaces.
Results
Inspection cycle time: Reduced from 20–24s to 3.5–4s per part
Overkill rate: Reduced to 10–12%, below the 20% target
Labor requirement: Reduced significantly across shifts
Reliability: Stable operation under full production load
Scalability: Expansion from a single device to multiple lines
Following the success of the initial project, the customer expanded automation with three additional AOI units, - bringing the total to four systems for that product line.
Encouraged by the results, the company then purchased two more AOI systems for the another project, both of which have since been accepted into production. Due to this success, the customer has initiated evaluations for additional inspection tasks.