ORAFOL Fresnel Optics automates quality control using AI

German manufacturer ORAFOL Fresnel Optics has automated the quality inspection of over 1.5 million optical lenses using artificial intelligence. By implementing vision technology developed by Zebra Technologies, the company has reduced quality control time by 50 percent and enabled 24/7 inspection capabilities.

Previously, the process required up to 15 employees to manually inspect each lens under specific lighting conditions to detect defects. This was particularly challenging for Fresnel lenses, which can have diameters as small as 4 mm and possess complex microstructures that make damage detection difficult.

The new system utilizes Zebra Aurora Vision Studio software and deep learning technology to analyze component images and identify defects based on specific quality criteria. The solution also provides product traceability, aiding in production documentation and problem analysis. To accommodate the unique microstructures, the implementation involved combining standard hardware with a specially developed rotating head and specialized optics.