Laser marking plays an important role in modern industrial production as requirements for traceability, quality and documentation continue to increase. For a customer in the automotive industry, Elektroautomatik developed an automated solution combining robotics, laser marking and AI-based vision to mark and verify every individual component.
The result is a flexible, future-proof solution that gives the customer full control over its production process.
The challenge
Previously, the customer had no way of identifying individual products. Instead, a general date stamp was used, making it impossible to trace each individual component throughout the production process.
To meet increasing traceability requirements, the customer had conducted its own laser marking tests but lacked a solution that could be integrated into regular production. An automated process was needed that could mark each component with high precision without affecting the production rate.
An automated laser marking solution
Elektroautomatik developed an automation cell in which an industrial robot is equipped with a laser marker mounted directly on the robot arm. The robot positions the laser marker with high precision and marks each individual component.
The robot-based solution makes the process both repeatable and flexible. Through programming, the marking process can easily be adapted when new products or product variants are introduced, without requiring extensive mechanical modifications.
The result is a scalable solution that can evolve alongside the customer’s production.
AI-based vision verifies every marking
Laser markings on low-contrast materials can be difficult to read using traditional OCR technology. To ensure that every marking is correct, the solution was therefore complemented with a vision camera mounted on the robot arm.
The vision system uses AI-based text recognition powered by deep learning. By training the system to recognise how different characters may appear under varying conditions, the camera learns to interpret markings with high accuracy, even when contrast is low or there are significant variations.
Immediately after the laser marking has been applied, the vision camera verifies that the correct information has been marked on the component. This ensures the quality of every product before it moves on to the next stage of the production process.
Close collaboration from idea to finished solution
The project was carried out in close collaboration with the customer throughout the entire development process. From the initial ideas and concept discussions to engineering, manufacturing and testing, the project team worked closely together to ensure that the solution met the customer’s requirements.
The automation cell was built and verified at Elektroautomatik’s own facilities before delivery. The customer participated in regular reviews and visits throughout the project, enabling quick decision-making and allowing the solution to be optimised before installation in production.
The result
With the new solution, the customer can now laser mark and uniquely identify every individual component – something that was not previously possible.
The automated process ensures that each product receives a unique identity, while AI-based vision verifies that the marking is correct. The combination of robotic automation, laser marking and vision also provides a flexible solution that can easily be adapted as production changes or new products are introduced.
The customer can now:
- Automatically laser mark every individual component.
- Ensure full traceability throughout production.
- Verify every marking using AI-based vision.
- Reliably read markings even on low-contrast surfaces.
- Adapt the solution to future products and product variants.
By combining robotic automation, laser marking and AI-based vision, Elektroautomatik has delivered a solution that not only meets today’s traceability requirements but also provides the flexibility needed for future production.