November 15, 2018

Cameras Capture Digital Info from Legacy Machines

Although the availability of digital manufacturing equipment is increasing, many manufacturers still depend on decades-old analog machines because they serve a niche purpose or the cost of replacing them is prohibitive. Manufacturers are looking to digitize these trusted machines so they can collect data that will help them make better decisions on the factory floor.

Outcome

This MxD project developed a computer vision retrofit kit that digitizes these legacy machines using an off-the-shelf camera and machine learning software to capture data from dials, gauges, and other visual displays. This data is then relayed to a customizable dashboard with real-time alerts that notify operators of any production issues. The kits have been deployed successfully at Raytheon, Faurecia, and Matdan.