Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWMRising demands for quality, product variety, and automation – these are the issues currently preoccupying manufacturers in the furniture industry. Our institute, in collaboration with Hecht AG, has developed a demonstrator for edge inspection on furniture panels, bringing together expertise from both research and industrial practice.
Gestapelte Materialmuster in unterschiedlichen Farben und Oberflächen, darunter Holz, beschichtete Platten und Spanplatte.
Intelligent Edge Inspection for the Furniture Industry
Reliable edge inspection is crucial for furniture quality. Together with Hecht AG, Fraunhofer ITWM is developing an intelligent system that automatically detects and classifies defects.
© Fraunhofer ITWM
Higher Quality for the Furniture Industry Through Digitalization
New System Makes Edge Inspection Even Better
Existing Measurement Systems Do Not Meet the Requirements
Hecht AG has many years of experience in the measurement and inspection of furniture components and is a market leader in measuring and sawing systems, but has not yet developed a complete measuring system specifically for edge inspection. Currently available measuring systems are still highly prone to false detections and therefore do not offer satisfactory solutions.
Precise and durable edges are a hallmark of high-quality furniture. This is where the partners’ strengths complement each other: For this sensitive and significant aspect, Fraunhofer ITWM brings expertise from the research fields of artificial intelligence, mathematical modeling, and image processing.
Sketch: Structure of the demonstrator for edge inspection of furniture panels.
Extensive Testing of the Algorithms
The jointly developed inspection solution was extensively tested on a prototype by capturing various decorative finishes, and the algorithms were validated. The next step is to adapt the system to the specific requirements of a renowned kitchen manufacturer.
The developed edge inspection system enables:
- Fully automated defect detection and classification, ensuring that defects are detected in a timely manner
- AI solutions for complex quality requirements
- Customized implementation for any design
Example of an edge banding strip that has been cut too short.
Visible cosmetic defect: Crease on the top edge of the furniture.
Visible stains and dents on the top of the furniture panel.
The collaboration between Hecht AG and our institute focuses on the further development of AI and machine vision techniques, the development of new inspection and measurement concepts, and the implementation of customized solutions for other specific requirements of the furniture industry.
The goal of the collaboration is to strengthen competitiveness within the industry and set new technological standards.
Demonstrator »Edge InspectiON« by Hecht AG at a trade fair.