Industrial IoT Painting Automation System Development

A multinational industrial automation leader selected Adequate Infosoft as their partner to help modernize their painting processes in sectors such as automotive, appliance production, powder coating and surface finishing industry.

The customer has been historically recognized for their high-volume production with increased challenges associated with quality, operational cost reductions and efficient production workflow.

Their traditional painting systems relied heavily on manual monitoring and conventional automation, which resulted in inconsistent paint finishes, significant material wastage, and frequent unplanned downtime.

Due to the necessity for a technology-driven transformation of the existing painting system, they sought the assistance of Adequate Infosoft to design and implement an Artificial Intelligence-enabled, Internet Of Things (IoT) based painting system that would optimize production, increase visibility of the process, and improve overall operational effectiveness.

Before the implementation of our solution, the client faced a number of significant issues that negatively impacted productivity and profitability.

They included:

• Manual Monitoring and Inconsistent Coating

  The painting lines needed to be manually monitored & interfered with by operators who had to continually modify their equipment settings including spray patterns, air pressure, etc., based primarily on the operator's own experience rather than data. As a result of this, there was inconsistency in paint coverage, thickness, & finished surface finishes.

• Paint Wastage

  There were also issues with excess amounts of wasted paint due to inefficient spray pattern application, incorrect thickness or density settings, and human errors when applying paint. That not only increased operating costs but also presented environmental concerns associated with the high amount of chemicals being used.

• Frequent Unplanned Downtime

  There was also frequent unplanned downtime from machines failing due to wear & tear or not operating at optimal parameters. The result of this was delayed production and missed scheduled deliveries leading to inefficient use of the workforce.

• Limited Access/Analysis to Data

  The other major issue was that the lacks of a centralized system (no common way to collect and store data) led to siloing of all the data from each line & plant, therefore without real-time monitoring or predictive insight available it was impossible to properly maintain equipment, optimizes process, and makes timely decisions.

  These challenges reinforced the client's need for a completely fully integrated intelligent solution that will automate monitoring process, optimize use of resources, and provide actionable insights.

Adequate Infosoft has created an all-inclusive AI driven IoT Paint system which includes HW (Hardware), FW (Firmware), Cloud (Internet based data storage), and Web/Mobile Application. We were able to provide solutions to all parts of the customer’s issues:

PCB and Hardware Engineering

Designed and engineered industrial level hardware determined to perform in some of the toughest manufacturing facilities.

The hardware contained PCBs and precision Sensors to measure pressure, flow, temperature and humidity in real-time, along with custom-designed/provided motor controllers, valves, and actuators engineered for high degree of precision paint spraying.

All hardware components were thoroughly tested for maximum life while minimizing maintenance needs by using tested components capable of long-term industrial use.

Embedded Firmware and Edge Intelligence

The firmware was developed on a real-time operating system (RTOS) to ensure rapid and accurate control of machines, therefore, all machine controls respond quickly and accurately.

Embedded edge analytics provide near real-time ability to make quick adjustment based on operational metrics without total dependence on cloud-based analytics to achieve faster and more reliable decision making.

Additionally, due to the use of Over-The-Air (OTA) firmware updates, we were able to achieve total remote access for all machines, therefore we totally eliminated any need to manually update firmware on a machine.

AI Optimization and Predictive Analysis

Advanced AI models analyzed sensor data to predict optimal paint thickness, detect surface defects, and recommend parameter adjustments based on material types, environmental conditions, and historical performance.

These predictive algorithms have provided maintenance teams with the ability to detect early signs of wear on mechanical components or the potential for future mechanical failure, providing the opportunity for proactive maintenance actions to take place before any downtime occurred.

This method of proactive maintenance has improved plant and equipment uptime and reduced operational disruptions.

Cloud Platform and Dashboard

The data from multiple lines and multiple plants has been aggregated on a centralized cloud platform. Dashboards for managers and supervisors have provided an opportunity to receive real-time information to allow for quick and effective interventions for production issues.

Alerts for paint thickness deviations, machine performance issues, or environmental condition issues have all been automatically generated.

The integration of the existing ERP and MES systems have streamlined the reporting process and facilitated the ability for production and management teams to make informed decisions throughout the operation.

Mobile and Web Applications

Operators, supervisors and engineers were able to access real-time dashboards, alerts and production reports via the web and their mobile devices.

Remote access to the system allowed for quicker response times for all production-related issues, thus ensuring quality control and compliance with production standards regardless of whether personnel were on-site versus off-site.

The implementation of the AI-enabled IoT painting system yielded substantial improvements in multiple aspects of the client’s operations:

Decreased Paint Waste

Reduced level of paint waste through Automated Control and as well through Optimized Spray Patterns including specific instructions that were recommended by AI. The reduction in paint used, resulted in tangible cost savings.

Improved Product Quality

Real-Time AI-based intelligent adjustments make sure all product finishes have the same thickness throughout so that the quality is the same for all products as a result, reduced Rework.

Predictive Maintenance

System identified the potential for future machine failures and therefore allowed us to perform Preventative Maintenance eliminating unplanned downtime and extending life of equipment that is most critical.

Visibility of Production Lines Across All Facilities

Centralized Cloud based platform gives Supervisors and Managers real-time access to information about their production lines in multiple locations, allowing them to make faster decisions and improve coordination across their multiple facilities.

Increased Production Efficiencies

The end result of reduced downtime, more efficient use of resources, and data driven adjustments resulted in higher throughput levels and lower operational costs for the client.

Adequate Infosoft has proven that they can turn traditional manufacturing processes from industrial painting into Smart Connected & Data Driven Systems through their Innovative Integration of Hardware, Embedded Firmware, AI Models, Cloud Platform, and User Interfaces (Apps).

The return on Investment is measurable, and the Quality, Safety and Efficiency have all been increased.

The Client has moved from a manual, error-prone process to a fully optimized and Intelligent Manufacturing Environment, setting the standard for AI-driven Manufacturing Automation in the Industrial Painting Industry.

“What stands out most about working with Adequate Infosoft is their exceptional project team. They keep me informed with weekly progress updates and address any concerns I raise promptly”