In the industrial sector, "automatic inspection" refers to a quality control process that employs technological systems such as sensors, cameras, and advanced software to monitor and analyze products during and after production, without human intervention. This enables rapid verification of compliance with quality standards, improving efficiency and reducing production waste.  

Tomaco SA, a company specializing in the supply of multi-station machine tools for metal part manufacturing through chip removal, faces a crucial challenge in quality control for its production processes. Currently, multiple machining phases are required to obtain the finished part, which is then finished with abrasives. However, inspection limitations hinder effective monitoring, impacting production efficiency and waste reduction.  

To address this need, the InnoInspect project was launched, funded by Innosuisse, with the goal of revolutionizing inspection processes in manufacturing. The project aims to develop an advanced profile analysis system capable of detecting geometric defects even in the presence of machining residues, significantly reducing waste volume.  

An innovative optical setup was developed within the project, based on standard components readily available on the market. This choice helped keep costs under control without compromising performance while also enabling the implementation of sub-pixeling techniques to achieve the precision and accuracy required for process monitoring.  

“The system's ability to optically measure dimensions with high accuracy using a cost-optimized setup allows us to enter a new market segment. At present, Tomaco SA does not operate in the field of online mechanical inspection of parts or validation purposes,” says Andrea Perino, project leader at Tomaco SA.  

Alongside the hardware, the project also led to the development of software for image acquisition and processing, capable of recognizing and measuring dimensions based on specifications provided by the operator. An application was created to configure and calibrate the system and perform measurements directly on the production line, maintaining the production cadence. This application integrates various algorithms based on advanced image analysis, statistics, and artificial intelligence to monitor dimensions with micrometric precision, even in the presence of machining residues.  

Thanks to its accuracy and the implementation of "burr detection and removal" techniques, the system also enables the timely identification of process deviations during production, preventing the manufacturing of non-conforming parts and reducing material waste.  

“This project has allowed us to develop a high-performance inspection system while keeping in mind the company’s market needs. It has enabled us to acquire new expertise in the development and integration of optical systems across multiple disciplines to maximize performance,” concludes Matthieu Jaccard, ISEA researcher and project coordinator.