While innovations in sensor technologies and image processing systems are enabling faster quality check cycles, market trends indicate a strong demand for superior imaging quality without compromising on the output volume of assembly and manufacturing lines. ivii GmbH, a subsidiary of KNAPP AG (a company that provides intelligent automation technologies for logistics and production), is addressing the dynamic market needs by combining knowledge gained from the mother company with its vision-based solutions to counteract the various challenges in quality control of the entire production. The Austrian-based company collects data from 2D and 3D images and processes the data using traditional image processing algorithms and deep learning networks to achieve objective quality check with minimal human intervention. ivii’s holacratic organizational structure gives it the edge of agility and flexibility that is crucial to align with the evolving customer needs and technology developments.

With the understanding that the lifetime of the industrial plants exceeds that of sensors, “We developed a software system that can process data from different sources without depending on the sensors,” says Roland Jernej, Head of Strategic Development at ivii. At the heart of the system is ivii.core, a basic software module that integrates with the client’s existing IT structure for easy controllability. Various modular applications for specific tasks like measurement, identification, inspection, and verification are also a part of ivii’s offering. These applications are selectively combined with the basic module depending on customer requirements. ivii also provides a simple customer preferred user interface that allows its customers’ employees to operate and modify the solution. To reduce reliance on sensor data for quality monitoring, the solution derives data from various independent libraries.

Ultimately, the objective of our company is to provide solutions that will eventually allow clients to control their processes and quality maintenance without our help

From the hardware aspect, ivii provides sensor-based solutions for production and assembly lines. These solutions bring improved productivity by following a sequential inspection process in which subsequent steps are initiated after the previous one is validated. They are designed to meet the client’s demands for surface inspection, length and diameter measurements, and verification of assemblies’ integrity.

ivii’s solutions collect workers’ feedback and then transfer the knowledge across departments and workers, ensuring knowledge retention. The company channels real-time feedback to production floor operators by leveraging augmented reality, helping them improve their work quality and confidence. Additionally, ivii performs data mining on the data collected by clients to detect hidden insights. These insights suggest the potential areas of improvement within their organizations where many manual processes can be automated, which in turn, leads to improved quality outcomes. “ivii also arms its clients with predictive maintenance tools that allow them to develop efficient maintenance strategies,” says Peter Stelzer, CEO, ivii.

ivii engages its clients using problem explorer toolsets to assess their requirements and how the company can provide support. The company then executes the IFR (ideal final result) step to arrive at the most suitable solution. Working closely with the client, ivii develops a solution that ensures ‘zero defects’ in the production processes. A case in point, ivii served a Styrian automobile company seeking complete monitoring of an assembly process. The client needed the monitoring system to report work quality immediately through each step without fluctuations caused by varying daylight. ivii served the client using its software combined with a customized camera and lighting concept that could provide instant feedback to the employees.

ivii ensures its continual service and assistance throughout the lifecycle of its products. “Ultimately, the objective of our company is to provide solutions that will eventually allow clients to control their processes and maintain quality without our help,” concludes Jernej.