Berlin, Germany — Audi is using artificial intelligence (AI) to test its spot welds for quality control purposes.
The automaker said so in a press release at the end of June, where it announced an AI system developed and tested at its site in Neckarslum, Germany, that’s designed for “quality control” of spot welds in car body construction.
The tech allows Audi to analyze approximately 1.5 million spot welds on 300 vehicles per shift at the Neckarslum site. The previous method, which used ultrasound, was capable of checking only 5,000 welds per vehicle, says Audi.
“By applying AI, employees can now focus on possible anomalies. This new approach will enable them to control quality more efficiently and in a more targeted way,” wrote the OEM.
The technology is set to be expanded to three other Volkswagen Group sites by the end of the year, according to the press release: Audi Brussels, Audi’s HQ in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany, and Volkswagen’s plants in Emden, Germany.
Since there are currently no standards or certifications for AI applications in Germany, the technology’s development at the Neckarsulm location was carried out in close coordination with audit, certification and safety experts. The automaker also developed an AI guide for production with an expert team.
Audi also says the data generated through its use of AI will be used to optimize other processes in the future.
“As an example, the Audi team is currently working on using the data as a basis for predictive maintenance down the road.”
That means we can expect more work between Audi and AI technologies. Gerd Walker, an Audi board member for production and logistics, has publicly said that “the use of AI in series production promises huge potential.”
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