Production companies are under enormous pressure today. Customers are demanding more variants, delivery times are shrinking, error rates must not increase, and traditional visual inspections quickly reach their limits.

Visual quality control is becoming one of the biggest challenges for manufacturing. Every production error costs time, money, and reputation. AI-supported image processing is becoming an indispensable tool for automating inspection processes, efficiently managing product variants, and ensuring the highest level of quality.

Austrian companies Danube Dynamics and Aspöck Systems demonstrate how end-of-line testing of multichamber lamps can be efficiently automated. The combination of the AI solution “auros for quality” and IDS camera technology allow even complex inspection tasks in highly varied production environments to be reliably mastered—a solution that offers immediate added value for companies of all sizes.

More than ‘light on, light off’

Aspöck Systems manufactures multichamber vehicle lamps that must be reliably tested at the end of the production line. The decisive factors are not only whether a lamp lights up but whether the correct chamber is enabled. A turn signal must not accidentally activate the rear fog light—a mistake that could have serious consequences on the road. Then there are other typical production conditions: different orientations of components, extraneous light on the shop floor, dust and dirt, and a wide variety of other factors. Classic systems based on fixed test rules reach their limits here. Every product change involves a great deal of adjustment work, and unexpected error patterns are difficult to identify reliably.

Solution: AI and camera working together

To overcome these hurdles, Aspöck Systems relies on the “auros for quality” solution from Danube Dynamics. At its heart is an adaptive AI that processes image data in real time on a powerful industrial PC (IPC) directly on the line. Image capture is handled by two industrial cameras from the uEye XCP series by IDS.

Nico Teringl, CEO of Danube Dynamics, says, “Our solution does not work with rigid testing rules but with adaptive algorithms. This enables us to reliably detect even complex or unexpected error patterns and adapt systems to new products very quickly.”

Of Danube Dynamics’ choice of IDS, Teringl says, “In addition to the interface, price, and size, the advice provided by IDS was the decisive factor for us. Together, we found the camera that exactly meets our requirements and guarantees the required precision on a permanent basis.”

Sensor quality meets consulting expertise

The IDS U3-3680XCP Rev.1.2 features the 5.04 MP rolling shutter CMOS sensor onsemi AR0521 and consistently delivers detailed, low-noise images, even in challenging lighting conditions. Back-side illumination technology ensures high sensitivity and low noise levels, offering a clear advantage in low ambient light or dirty conditions.

Jürgen Hejna, product owner of 2D cameras at IDS, says, “The combination of compact size, robust design, and superior low-light performance makes this model the ideal component for demanding end-of-line inspections.”

Additionally, the IDS peak software environment facilitates camera connections and significantly reduces the integration effort. Teringl says, “Thanks to IDS peak, we were able to get the solution up and running very quickly and integrate it swiftly into the existing production environment at Aspöck.”

The “auros for quality” test bench with integrated industrial camera from IDS

From camera to test decision in real time

During operation, the multichamber lamps are enabled individually by a control system. Two identical IDS cameras capture the images, which are then evaluated on the IPC using AI. The two cameras operate in parallel: While one product is  tested, the next product can be placed on the test bench. This parallel approach increases cycle time and boosts efficiency. A key advantage of the solution is local processing without the cloud. This guarantees full data sovereignty, high reliability, and minimal latency, which is a crucial factor for Aspöck Systems, where production downtime must be avoided at all costs. The solution is independent of the exact alignment of the lamps and robust against environmental variables such as extraneous light or contamination.

Activated multichamber lamps on the test bench: Left light OK, center light OK, right light not OK

The results are displayed in real time on an HMI touchscreen, automatically logged, and can be transmitted to the higher-level production system via an API. This creates a closed inspection process that replaces or effectively supplements manual visual inspections while ensuring complete traceability.

Intuitive HMI touchscreen

Result: Efficient, flexible, reliable

By combining auros for quality with IDS camera technology, Aspöck Systems has taken its end-of-line inspection to a new level. Errors are reliably detected under even the most adverse production conditions. The system can be adapted to new product variants in just a few minutes via the touchscreen without time-consuming programming. At the same time, those responsible benefit from clear visualization and digital documentation of the results.

Teringl says, “The support provided by IDS was a decisive factor in our success. Not only did they provide us with the right camera, they also advised us on how to tailor the solution to our requirements.”

Outlook: Quality assurance in transition

Quality control requirements in the auto industry continue to increase. Inspection tasks are becoming more complex, the required accuracy is increasing, and powerful cameras with AI-supported evaluation are becoming indispensable.

“We see a clear trend toward intelligent, AI-supported image processing that is flexible enough to respond to new products and processes without requiring a great deal of effort,” Teringl says. “That’s exactly why we developed auros for quality in combination with IDS camera technology.”

IDS uEye XCP, the industry’s smallest housing camera with C-mount. Model U3-3680XCP Rev. 1.2.

Published by IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH. Images courtesy of Danube Dynamics, Aspöck Systems.