Spanish technology in the international factories of Ford

The installation of five tunnels of inspection to detect defects in bodyworks, that have technology developed by researchers of the Institute IDF of the UPV, supposes for the Valencian companies involved a movement of 5 million dollars. The work of the researchers centres fundamentally in the development of algorithms of artificial vision and computation for the system of inspection.

As it explains Josep Tornero, director of the Institute IDF and responsible scientist of the team of work of the UPV, in the factories of cars of nowadays ope­rarios specialised inspect the bodyworks painted looking for defects on the same. It estimates that more than 50% of the lower defects are not detected in the short time of step of the bodyworks by the zone of inspection.

“The defects does not detect­two affect to the quality of the vehicles and in the long run constitute sources of corrosion that re­ducen the life of the bodyworks. By means of this system, is possible to purchase to­give the images of the bodywork in less than 10 seconds, and detect more than 90% of the no detected defects in the manual inspection”, stands out Tornero.

The tunnel of inspection of defects in bodyworks is based in technicians of artificial vision and composes of a system of vision based in cá­maras endowed with sophisticated algorithms of detection and classification of defects; a mechanical structure of robot porticado that sustenta the devices of acquisition and moves the ele­mentos of illumination; and a group of screens, like interface for the operarios, where the defects are resaltados for his repair ma­nual.

“After his good results, from the month that comes will begin the installation of the five new units, one in the factory of the multinational in Genk, in Belgium; two in the factory of Deaborn in Michigan and other two in the Factory Kentucky”, stands out Josep Tornero, responsible scientist of the team of work of the UPV. Tornero Advances that it is studying the possibility to implant in EE UU other two tunnels in an immediate future, and one more for the factory Ford of Almussafes, that would substitute his current prototype by an industrial tunnel of new generation.

The team of acquisition of images is composed by 12 digital cameras of high resolution that purchase them to a frequency of 15 images by second. Each camera visua­liza a part of the bodywork, with margins of sufficient security so that it do not lose any defect on the same. And by what refers to the subsystem of monitoring, east provides information on the nature and location of the defects to the operarios situated in the area of polishing.

This prototype of system of inspection carries working from does more than two years on line of production of the factory Ford in Almussafes (Valencia), and arrives to inspect until 1.700 vehicles by day, in the periods of greater production of the Factory.