Multi-Angle Turbocharger inspection
At least 99% defect detection recall
KOMPASS with three industrial cameras and a programmable 360° rotary inspection table
Detection of visible defects from 1 mm with a false rejection rate of 5% or less
Overview
A U.S.-headquartered global product leader in sustainable mobility solutions, the manufacturer develops propulsion, drivetrain, air-management and turbocharging technologies for vehicle manufacturers worldwide.
Before automation, turbocharger quality checks relied on manual inspection to verify component presence, orientation, fitment and surface quality. Across multiple variants, this made consistent detection of missing hoses, misplaced clamps, incorrect orientation, rust, cross-threading and visible blade damage challenging, while providing limited traceability.
Opportunity
The manufacturer needed to address several technical inspection challenges:
- Inspect visible surfaces from the top and multiple side angles
- Detect wrong, missing or incorrectly positioned components
- Identify visible defects from 1 mm
- Support multiple variants using the same inspection system
- Adapt camera positions and inspection angles to different geometries
- Provide immediate OK and NG decisions
- Link each part’s QR code or barcode with its inspection results and defect images
The goal was to replace variable manual checks with a standardized, multi-angle and traceable inspection process operating within the required production cycle.
Jidoka’s Approach
Jidoka deployed a KOMPASS-powered inspection system combining multi-angle image capture, configurable AI, multi-variant inspection, automated operator alerts and part-level traceability.
Three-Camera Multi-Angle Inspection
Three industrial cameras are positioned around a programmable rotary inspection table. A top camera captures the upper surfaces using a servo-controlled angular axis, while two front cameras inspect the outer surfaces from different positions as the component rotates.
Programmable 360° Inspection
The rotary table moves each turbocharger through a programmed 360° sequence. Inspection angles, stopping positions and image-capture points are configured for each variant, providing consistent coverage of critical surfaces.
Multi-Variant Compatibility
Auto-focus lenses maintain image clarity across variations in component size, shape and camera distance. Multiple variants within the same product family and defined size range can be inspected using the same system, with inspection positions and parameters configured for each variant.
Additional variants can be introduced through KOMPASS’s guided self-training workflow.
KOMPASS-Powered Defect Detection
Captured images are processed through Jidoka’s KOMPASS AI platform. The system detects wrong or missing components, cross-threaded elbows, incorrect orientation, rust, wrong hoses, missing clamps, incorrect V-band positioning, missing witness marks and visible blade damage.
Inspection criteria, confidence thresholds and minimum defect sizes are configured for individual defect types, enabling objective and repeatable inspection decisions.
Automated Decisions and Operator Alerts
Conforming parts receive an OK confirmation. When a defect is identified, the system generates an NG result, activates an Andon alert and displays the corresponding defect image.
Operators can immediately understand the reason for rejection and respond without repeating the complete manual inspection.
QR-Linked Part-Level Traceability
The vision system reads the part number, QR code or barcode and links it to the corresponding inspection outcome. Inspection results and images are saved against each identified part, enabling production reporting and defect analysis by part name, batch and defect type.