Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Press releases are provided by companies as is and have not been edited or checked for accuracy. Any queries should be directed to the company issuing the release.

Retrocausal Unveils RetroActivity Software for Improved Quality Control in Manufacturing Assembly

Powered by Artificial Intelligence, this breakthrough system is designed to catch assembly errors in real-time instead of at the end of the assembly line

Retrocausal Unveils RetroActivity Software for Improved Quality Control in Manufacturing Assembly

Seattle, WA – October 13, 2020 – Retrocausal, the leader in visual mistake-proofing software for manufacturing assembly, announces it has released RetroActivity™ software, which offers significant advancements in quality control for manual assembly processes in discrete manufacturing. Powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Retroactivity improves overall quality and efficiency by identifying errors or missed steps to assembly workers through verbal prompts and visual cues. The company projects improvements of 10 percent in first-time yields and reductions of 60 percent in manual-assembly related quality issues at a typical factory.

Retrocausal was originally developed to help surgical residents and nurses train for complex medical procedures in collaboration with CAE Healthcare and NASA Johnson Space Center. But the company soon identified an even bigger need in U.S. manufacturing for its technology to provide continuous quality monitoring and training for workers, alongside analytics for industrial engineers and managers. Retrocausal has recently partnered with Siemens Digital Industries Software Co. and is working with some of the largest players in mass-customized manufacturing to improve manual assembly-related quality issues in discrete manufacturing.


Dr. Zeeshan Zia, CEO and a co-founder of Retrocausal, said, “There is a popular belief that robotics will replace manufacturing jobs. However, when compared to human labor, there are many instances of industrial robots being slower, taking up more space, and not being as adaptable as humans. That is why many major manufacturers have recently been turning back to human workers, especially for products that require various degrees of customization for specific usage. But with experienced workers retiring at the highest rates since the industrial revolution, it can be difficult to train new assembly workers and ensure consistent quality control in the assembly process.”

In the last 10 years, temporary employment in U.S. manufacturing has more than tripled. Temporary workers are often less knowledgeable than the rest of the staff, leading to higher training requirements as well as quality and productivity challenges. Another trend in manufacturing is an increasing customer demand for customizations. All these factors are leading to increased quality woes for discrete manufacturers, where Cost of Poor Quality (CoPQ) is already at 20 percent of total sales.

How RetroActivity Works
RetroActivity is a patent pending computer vision technology, powered by AI, that understands complex human activities, as well as the specific details of the parts being assembled. RetroActivity comes loaded onto a small computer (6 inches x 6 inches x 6 inches box) with a Bluetooth camera and an adjustable mount. Alternately, the project engineer can elect to install the RetroActivity software on an existing hardware system or run it on multiple assembly lines through the cloud.

The key points of setting up the system are as follows:

• The industrial engineer records a series of video demonstrations of an expert assembler with each version of the finished product to digitize the bill of process.
• The video demonstrations are used for the AI software to learn a computational step-by-step model of the activity, which is ready to deploy within a few hours.
• Then the system is ready to monitor a less experienced worker who is assembling a complex truck panel, a computer system, or any other complex machine.
• RetroActivity software provides specific feedback in real-time to ensure that the assembly worker is following the correct procedure for the assembly of a specific version of a product.
• In addition, the analytics dashboard is used by lean engineers to perform root cause analysis and continually improve processes.

Traditionally, manufacturers have focused on two types of tools to improve quality on their lines: (1) machine vision systems for part defect detection, and (2) physical mistake-proofing mechanisms that make it hard to make certain kinds of mistakes.

Dr. Zia adds, “Machine vision systems often focus on Quality Control (QC) stations, which are generally found at the end of the assembly line. In practice, by the time a product reaches the QC station it is already too late. Workers have made their mistakes, and the product either needs to go through another line for disassembly and fixing or be discarded, which are both costly options.”

To date, Retrocausal has raised $1.05 million from a variety of notable industry partners including Incubate Fund US, Techstars, 500 Startups, Atland Ventures, and angel investors from Google AI/IoT and deep manufacturing backgrounds. In addition, they have earned a grant from NASA to build an extra pair of eyes to assist astronauts in performing complex operations while in deep space.

RetroActivity is now available for delivery and can be purchased on a monthly subscription basis. In addition, the Retrocausal solutions engineers are available to help integrate the system into existing manufacturing execution systems. To schedule a demo or to learn more about how RetroActivity can help you improve the quality and efficiency of your assembly lines, please contact them at: https://retrocausal.ai/contact

https://www.retrocausal.ai/

Recent

More Stories

New Horizon Releases Innovative Functionality for Optimizing Inbound Logistics Scheduling at DCs

ACTON, Massachusetts – September 3, 2024 – New Horizon Soft, LLC, a global leader in AI-powered supply chain planning software, announced today the release of a new version of its Buyers Workbench procurement planning software. The latest version includes the ability to optimally schedule inbound deliveries, taking into account distribution center (DC) receiving capacity, thus minimizing receiving bottlenecks and lowering inbound logistics costs. A research paper describing the innovative methodology and its deployment at an iconic $10B+ U.S. quick-service restaurant chain was recently published in the peer-reviewed academic journal, the International Journal of Operations Research and Information Systems.

Supply chain organizations typically plan purchase orders without regard to DC receiving capacity. This leads to bottlenecks on some days and underutilized staff on others. New Horizon’s methodology, called Master Purchasing Receipt Scheduling (MPRS), uses a novel algorithm to automatically and optimally schedule deliveries. The algorithm plans deliveries at the time of purchase order creation and results in a steady volume of deliveries and lower planning and logistics costs. While first deployed at a restaurant chain, the methodology is applicable to any manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or foodservice company operating high-velocity DCs.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

Unlimited Service Group Launches New Repair and Maintenance Management Platform, USG Connect

Unlimited Service Group Launches New Repair and Maintenance Management Platform, USG Connect

ADDISON, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Unlimited Service Group, a group of local foodservice equipment repair providers, today announced the launch of USG Connect, an innovative new repair and maintenance management platform designed to streamline and simplify the repair and maintenance of commercial kitchen equipment.

USG Connect provides commercial kitchens with a one-stop solution for hassle-free and scalable equipment service. The exclusive platform offers a user-friendly digital experience that allows restaurants, hospitals, hotels and more, to consolidate and manage their service requests into a single maintenance management system. No matter the size of the organization, USG Connect brings the power of 35+ trusted local service brands with more than 125 locations into a consistent service experience for our customers, ensuring seamless and effective management of all foodservice equipment service requests in one, easy-to-use online platform.

Keep ReadingShow less
Princeton TMX Adds Barge Capabilities to Multi-modal TMS

Princeton TMX Adds Barge Capabilities to Multi-modal TMS

August 28, 2024 (Fort Wayne, IN) – Princeton TMX, a leading multi-modal transportation management system (TMS) provider, today announced a strategic partnership with OpenTug, a marine logistics platform dedicated to enhancing freight efficiency on inland and coastal waterways by streamlining booking, quoting and tracking. Integrating OpenTug’s marine logistics capabilities into the Princeton TMX system lets shippers easily book and manage terminal, barge and vessel capacity within the platform.

Princeton TMX’s multi-modal TMS automates complex transactions by simplifying the entire transportation planning and execution process, providing shippers with better rates, better lanes and lower risk. Seamless integration with OpenTug’s digital tool, BargeOS, allows shippers to compare quotes, book capacity and track shipments for barge shipments the same way as over-the-road, rail and intermodal transport. This not only streamlines the transportation management processes but unlocks additional opportunities for operational and financial improvement by enabling shippers to manage their entire transportation operations in a single system.

Keep ReadingShow less
project44 Launches Emissions Monitoring To Improve Supply Chain Sustainability and Compliance

project44 Launches Emissions Monitoring To Improve Supply Chain Sustainability and Compliance

project44, the leader in supply chain visibility and the only High-Velocity Supply Chain Platform, today announced Emissions Monitoring, giving shippers, carriers and LSPs the Scope 3 emissions insights necessary for optimized sustainability decision-making. Emissions Monitoring offers customers precise, GLEC-accredited emissions calculations for shipments across all modes, empowering businesses to track and manage their carbon footprint effectively.

With project44's new sustainability solution available in the Movement by project44 platform, users can streamline their compliance with customizable reporting and reduce their environmental impact with accurate historical emissions data at the mode, shipment, carrier, and lane level. Users are also able to enhance customer satisfaction by measuring positively in ESG reports and delivering on their sustainability promises.

Keep ReadingShow less

Cold Storage Power Supply: BSLBATT forklift lithium batteries support refrigerated applications

Huizhou, China - BSL New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Brand: BSLBATT® ), an innovative high-tech company that designs and manufactures smart lithium-ion batteries (50% more efficient than similar products on the market) for industrial forklifts used in the warehousing and distribution industries, has partnered with PF, a major European cold storage customer, to launch the largest fleet of lithium-battery-powered Crown forklift in the cold storage industry, with a deployed capacity of approximately 6.6 megawatt-hours (MWh).

"Lithium-battery systems eliminate time-consuming and expensive maintenance and provide longer life at extreme temperatures, especially in cold environments. As the company converts all existing and future material handling equipment to lithium batteries, the fleet will run better, longer, and consume less power."

Keep ReadingShow less