Surface and Defect Inspection
Catch scratches, weld faults, porosity and tears at line speed.
A surface defect can be found by eye; being able to find it at line speed and on every single part is a lighting and model problem.
The system does not use the defect itself but how the defect behaves under light: pulsed ring, dark field or angled lighting give scratches, porosity, weld voids and tears their contrast. An anomaly-based model then learns the sound surface and flags every region that deviates from it, so defect types never seen before are caught as well. The verdict reaches the PLC as an OK/NOK signal within milliseconds.
How it works
The defect is revealed by light
A scratch appears under angled light, porosity under dark-field lighting; the right light is half the model.
The sound surface is learned
The model learns the sound surface rather than defect samples; the deviation map yields defect candidates.
Defect type and severity
Candidate regions are classified by type and size; parts out of tolerance are rejected.
In which mould, which shift and which raw-material batch do defects appear?
The value of surface data is not the reject rate but showing where the defect comes from. A scratch recurring on parts from the same mould turns into a maintenance plan; porosity rising in one batch turns into a supplier conversation. Inspection stops being a cost line and becomes an input to process correction.
| Scratch / abrasion | 38% |
| Porosity / void | 24% |
| Weld fault | 17% |
| Stain / contamination | 12% |
| Burr | 9% |
Most scratch and abrasion defects occur during handling and transport rather than production; the recorded images make that distinction provable.
| W1 | 4.3 |
| W2 | 4.0 |
| W3 | 3.6 |
| W4 | 3.3 |
| W5 | 3.1 |
| W6 | 2.9 |
| W7 | 2.8 |
| W8 | 2.7 |
The decline comes not from the model improving but from eliminating the root causes that became visible in the first weeks.
Use cases
Surface and weld inspection
Scratch, spot-weld and fill control on sheet surfaces.
Flat glass inspection
In-line detection of bubbles, scratches and wave faults.
Burr and stain
Form and surface defects on injection-moulded parts.
Fabric defects
Continuous inspection of tears, holes and weft faults.
Technical requirements
| Camera | Global shutter industrial camera; 5–20 MP, line-scan option depending on line speed |
| Lighting | Pulsed ring, dark-field or angled bar lighting; ambient light isolated |
| Sensitivity | Defect discrimination down to the 0.05 mm range depending on optics |
| Integration | PLC digital output, Profinet/EtherNet-IP, MES record, reject actuator |
| Records | Each part's image and verdict are archived with its serial number |
Frequently asked questions
How does Surface and Defect Inspection work?
A surface defect can be found by eye; being able to find it at line speed and on every single part is a lighting and model problem.
Are our existing cameras suitable for this solution?
Required camera specification: Global shutter industrial camera; 5–20 MP, line-scan option depending on line speed. Before installation we assess your camera inventory free of charge and report which points are suitable and, if needed, which camera should be added.
What results and indicators does it provide?
Key indicators: Smallest distinguishable defect: 0.05 mm; Inspection at line speed: 60 parts/min; Per-part record and traceability: 100%. Most scratch and abrasion defects occur during handling and transport rather than production; the recorded images make that distinction provable. Thresholds are calibrated on your own site during the pilot.
Which systems does it integrate with?
PLC digital output, Profinet/EtherNet-IP, MES record, reject actuator. Events are published over REST API and MQTT, so it connects to your existing MES, ERP, VMS and alarm infrastructure.
Is it compliant with KVKK, Türkiye's data-protection law?
Footage is processed on an edge server inside your facility; raw video is not sent to the cloud. Facial recognition is not used; analytics outputs are anonymous and event clips are deleted automatically when the defined retention period ends.