Short cycle times leave no room for error – AI makes sure quality stays uncompromised. Audi developed an AI model that reliably detects weld splatters on car bodies and implemented an easily scalable AI infrastructure using Industrial Edge and the Industrial AI Suite from Siemens.
Welding car bodies creates molten metal droplets that can harm workers or damage wiring. Traditionally, workers searched for and removed the splatter manually. But with 60-second cycles, 2,000 welds per car body, and 1,000 cars a day, that’s inefficient. A vision-based AI solution is far more reliable and efficient. Audi developed its own AI model, trained it in the cloud with photos from eight cameras, and deployed it directly on the shop floor.
Running the AI model locally allows Audi to minimize cycle times because the AI can analyze images of car bodies in nearly real time.
The AI reliably detects weld splatter and helps workers remove it, preventing damage to wiring, which could result in defective cars, and injury to workers.
Because Audi deploys its own AI models using a standardized solution from Siemens, the global rollout to other factories is quick and easy.
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Explore how Audi’s AI model analyzes images of car bodies in near real time, spotting defects and guiding operators to correct them, improving quality and efficiency on the shop floor.
In the body shop, robots weld the car bodies. When they finish, eight cameras capture the underside. The images go straight to Audi’s AI model, running on the standardized Siemens Industrial Edge – bringing powerful intelligence directly to the shop floor
The AI analyzes the images and detects weld spatter in near real-time. The data is sent to the next cell, where the car body is rotated 90 degrees for inspection and processing.
The AI directs blue lights to mark weld spatter on the underbody, making it easy for operators to remove. Soon, robots will take over this task – freeing skilled workers to focus on more valuable jobs.
In the future, we will have many AI solutions on our shop floor, for example for predictive maintenance. The Siemens Industrial AI Suite and Industrial Edge will help us deploy these solutions in our factories.
