Analysis Solution to Improve Fault Detection on Mechanical Assembly Production Lines

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**Helical Technology Ltd****Generating an affordable, easily-trainable, vision fault-detection system for easy deployment across multiple product assembly lines.****Challenge**Helical Technology is a family-owned manufacturing business based in the North-West which from establishment over 50 years ago as a spring manufacturer, has grown into a global supplier of several specialised mechanical products including valve rotators, actuators and valves.Many production lines within Helical's two UK sites are required to produce a varied range of products in a given day, and many assembly processes rely on precise positioning of component parts to avoid faults and costly quality issues.Historically, quality was often assured by conducting a manual over-check of parts, which was both time consuming and prone to error. In some cases, commercially available vision systems had been deployed on lines to improve throughput and checking quality, but their use across the production line had been limited due to the inherent costs of purchasing and then reconfiguring such systems, which often required outsourcing to third parties.**Solution**Having noted recent advancements in the fields of machine learning an artificial intelligence, a Helical Engineer began to experiment with open-source codes to teach a machine algorithm detect a simplified build error. After gaining some initial successes, it was recognised that further external expertise and resource was needed to produce a full inspection system and develop this idea further.Helical Technology sought partnership with STFC Hartree Institute on an A4I funded project, which led to the development and supply of a novel easily-trainable analysis software method, and the production and deployment of the first demonstrator unit.**Impact**The deployment of the demonstrator system on a Helical production line immediately led to the elimination of the human visual checking operation, which saw increased line productivity and quality of output.Instead of being replaced by a machine, line operatives were redeployed onto more productive and less onerous tasks elsewhere.The demonstrator unit served as a pilot "Industry 4.0" project within the business and was well received by employees, prompting further similar projects to be birthed around the business.Through the collaborative A4I project, Helical employees involved were upskilled in empowered to re-calibrate the unit in house, start new projects, and advise others with their expertise.Through publicity of this project to the wider UK manufacturing community, other similar manufacturing SMEs were prompted to undertake similar projects to increase their competitiveness.