Use case: In-process inspection of wind turbine blade Part 2 of a 2-part series Introduction: In part 1 of this post, we described the difficulties manufacturers face as they weigh the risks and benefits of going digital. We also talked about getting a clearer picture of digitalization risks compared to the risks of sticking with… Read more »
Use case: In-process inspection of wind turbine blades Part 1 of a 2-part series In a perfect world, adopting new digital technology would be an exciting milestone for any manufacturer. Digitalization in manufacturing promises huge savings in operational costs and significant improvements in product quality. Take, for example, in-process inspection with LASERVISION-AI, which delivers better… Read more »
Now that artificial intelligence (AI) has reached broad commercial status in consumer and business applications, AI in manufacturing has also begun to take hold. This disruptive technology is likely to dramatically improve manufacturing operations over the next few years. Unfortunately, it is also likely that a “Driven by AI” sticker slapped on the side of… Read more »
How machine vision and artificial intelligence saved an aerospace defense contractor Zero defect manufacturing is a relatively new quality paradigm, but more and more producers of large, complex products – most notably, aircraft and automobiles – are pursuing the goal of zero defects. After the quality escapes of early 2024, which resulted in several aircraft… Read more »
Wind blade manufacturers continue to rely heavily on manual processes, but they are developing technologies to automate various aspects of the wind blade manufacturing process: material handling, ply layup, vacuum infusion, assembly and finishing operations. Their goal is to lower cycle time and production costs, which will help to reduce the levelized cost of energy… Read more »
“Quality escape” was not a familiar term to the general public, or even to many stakeholders in the manufacturing world, until Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun used it to describe the cause of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 door plug assembly failure in January. A single improperly installed bolt slipped past inspection procedures by the supplier… Read more »
When we ask tradeshow visitors who are not using Aligned Vision equipment about multitasking laser projection, the most common response we get is that their projectors have it, but they don’t use it. In theory, multitasking laser projection sounds like a valuable feature. After all, if you are able to apply one projector to multiple… Read more »
Aligned Vision will feature AI-driven inspection and advanced CAD-directed 3D laser projection at Stand R192. Attending Advanced Engineering? Stop by and learn how you can improve your quality without disrupting your production operations. Our laser projection and automatic inspection experts will be available to discuss your manufacturing challenges. To request a specific meeting time, send… Read more »
Aligned Vision will be exhibiting at the 2024 Japan International Aerospace Exhibition on October 16 – 19th. Visit us at Fuji Industries booth W2-073.
Aligned Vision will be showcasing breakthrough advancements in AI-driven inspection and model-based 3D laser projection CAMX Booth NN9. President Scott Blake will be sharing more about these innovations during his technical presentation at the show. Artificial intelligence-based analysis is now a mature, commercialized and proven feature of LASERVISION-AI – the only large-field automatic inspection system… Read more »
Attending SAMPE 2024? Learn how you can apply AI-driven inspection to solve your complex composites fabrication challenges. Attend Scott Blake’s technical presentation at 3:00 on May 22: AI-Enabled Automatic Inspection in Wind Turbine Blade Manufacturing Let’s discuss how the ONLY large-field automatic inspection system for composites will provide a huge competitive edge for you! Schedule… Read more »
Aligned Vision, a pioneer in laser projection, is pleased to announce its partnership with Bluco Corporation, a leading provider of modular workholding solutions. This collaboration marks a significant advancement in manufacturing technology, integrating Bluco’s renowned modular solutions with Aligned Vision’s cutting-edge laser projection. For over three decades, Bluco has been at the forefront of manufacturing… Read more »
When 3D laser projection first entered the manufacturing realm, laser pioneer and Aligned Vision founder Scott Blake focused specifically on creating “templates of light” for structural aerospace components made from advanced composite materials. The boost to quality and reduction in cycle time were nothing short of revolutionary in this first industrial application of 3D laser… Read more »
Artificial intelligence (AI) has made surprisingly deep inroads into the manufacturing realm over the past half-dozen years. According to management consulting firm McKinsey, only 20 percent of manufacturers reported using AI in 2017, but today that number hovers between 50 and 60 percent. With the tight margins and stiff competition most manufacturers are currently facing,… Read more »
When it comes to improving weld quality and accelerating welding operations, guidance from laser projection systems is a mature, proven technology. In fact, for more than 15 years LASERGUIDE laser projection has been used in harsh shipyard environments to provide efficient, reliable welding support for all Virginia-class submarines. To raise both quality and speed of… Read more »
Automatic in-process inspection offers such immense advantages over manual inspection, one might wonder why it hasn’t already been implemented across the manufacturing world. But we get it. As with almost any new technology for the shop floor, any hesitancy probably stems from legitimate concerns about the implementation process. What does it take to develop an… Read more »
In-process inspection technologies have advanced considerably over the past decade, with many manufacturers performing inspection with smart cameras, profilometry, automated metrology systems and more. Such advancements are impressive but limited when it comes to large works-in-progress (WIPs). Picking up where these technologies drop off, LASERVISION has been designed specifically for large WIPs, like the one… Read more »
As composite manufacturing has advanced over the years, it has experienced a striking imbalance in the maturity of digital technologies. Computers have performed design and engineering tasks for decades, while paper plybooks and travelers are still used in many shops to guide composites fabrication. Since our founding in 1988 (when we were called Assembly Guidance),… Read more »
As more and more automation is used to manufacture large components, relying on human beings and a set of rudimentary measuring tools to inspect works in progress (WIPs) seems more and more antiquated. More important, manual inspection on automated manufacturing floors now represents the bottleneck of bottlenecks for industries that are otherwise achieving new speed… Read more »
When it’s time to purchase new laser projectors, the choice of which projectors to buy often simply comes down to cost. But that’s where the simple part ends! Though the projectors themselves may look pretty similar from vendor to vendor, their actual value is determined by the answers to three primary questions: When 3D laser… Read more »
Industry 4.0 for composites is attainable in 2023. If your reaction to this statement is skepticism, not only are you not alone; you are probably in the majority of composites industry professionals. This is especially true when it comes to in-process composites quality programs. After all, quality assurance on most fabrication floors still depends on… Read more »
“Achieving the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) for laser projection” is how Aligned Vision president Scott Blake summarizes what he and the Aligned Vision team heard from you throughout 2022. At trade shows, customer visits and other venues, we listened to what you had to share about your experience with laser projection, automatic inspection… Read more »
Anyone who has traversed the qualification process for a new manufacturing technology knows just how lengthy and complex these processes can be. The uninitiated may be surprised to learn that implementing a new technology takes many more steps than they might have anticipated. In reality, qualifying a new manufacturing technology for application to your shop… Read more »
“Foreign object debris” (FOD) may not be the term that devotees of the Game of Thrones series would use, but most still remember the Starbucks cup that escaped the cutting room floor and made its way to TV screens across the world in the series finale. As an analogy to the problem of foreign object… Read more »
The benefits of automatic inspection extend well beyond the technology’s lights-out speed and greater accuracy compared to manual inspection. This is because of one obvious difference between the two: automatic inspection technologies like LASERVISION produce data, and lots of it. Manufacturers of large, complex components and subassemblies are quickly leveraging this “big data” to boost… Read more »
Mobile electronic process control has proven to be a highly valuable tool for manufacturers that employ manual processes in their production operations. Many such operations will continue to be performed most efficiently by human operators, because people have better visual and tactile senses and greater mobility than automated systems. Even as robots and cobots continue… Read more »
Introduction AI-driven in-process inspection offers many benefits over traditional manual methods, though it requires some effort to implement. This guide discusses key benefits and challenges of implementing AI-driven in-process inspection in your manufacturing process. Benefits of AI-Driven In-Process Inspection Increased Accuracy and Efficiency AI-driven inspection improves the accuracy of defect detection by identifying even the… Read more »
Are Multitasking Benefits Real? In the world of composite fabrication, multitasking with laser projection systems can offer significant advantages in cost savings and quality enhancement. However, understanding how to optimize these systems is key. Here are some insights and recommendations based on feedback from industry professionals: DON’T PAY EXTRA FOR MULTITASKING When evaluating laser projection systems, be… Read more »
Unlock the Power of AI in Manufacturing Quality In today’s competitive landscape, manufacturing engineers like you are constantly seeking ways to enhance quality, boost productivity, and maximize ROI. That’s where artificial intelligence steps in. Imagine a world where your shop operates seamlessly, where errors are caught before they become costly setbacks, and where every step… Read more »