ORAFOL Fresnel Optics halves lens inspection times with Zebra AI vision system
Bespoke inspection system using Zebra Aurora Vision Studio with deep learning replaces manual light-checking of Fresnel lenses as small as 4mm.
ORAFOL Fresnel Optics has automated quality inspection of its Fresnel plastic lenses with a bespoke system built on Zebra Technologies' Aurora Vision Studio with Aurora Deep Learning. The German division of the ORAFOL Group says the setup has cut inspection times in half and enabled round-the-clock workflows.
Previously, operators held each lens to the light under specific conditions to spot defects, a repetitive task that caused fatigue and tied up as many as 15 operators across production lines. ORAFOL says it struggled to find a supplier able to handle the complex microstructures of lenses sometimes just 4mm across, so a custom optical turret was developed. The Aurora software works with a standard camera.
According to ORAFOL, the system also provides end-to-end component traceability and frees frontline workers for other tasks. A second, more advanced system for inspecting optical windows at high volume was built with ID Engineering, a Zebra system integrator, again using Aurora Vision Studio with deep learning.
For shops weighing manual visual inspection, the case points to deep learning software paired with custom optics as a route to consistent defect rejection on small, intricate parts. The performance figures are ORAFOL's own; the source does not independently verify them.