i3D Robotics has completed its cutting-edge research project, Intelligent Robotic Inspection for Foundation Industry Optimisation (IRIFIO), making use of the state-of-the-art pilot production line at the Glass Futures research facility in St Helens. This pioneering initiative is set to transform defect detection in the glass manufacturing industry, enhancing productivity, reducing waste, and supporting Net Zero targets.
In the glass manufacturing industry, even the smallest imperfections can lead to significant costs, and a tiny inclusion can cause a glass panel to shatter. Current defect detection methods, such as heat soaking, are energy-intensive and time-consuming.
This project, led by i3D Robotics, introduces a transformative solution for faster, consistent, and more accurate inspections using machine learning and robotics. IRIFIO leverages advanced smart vision and sensory technology to detect tiny defects during the flat glass production process.
IRIFIO received a collective £4m in funding by UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) challenge and the TFI Fast Start competition and the project has achieved to date:
- Industrial simulation: IRIFIO is the first cold trial to take place on Glass Futures’ new state-of-the-art pilot line. By simulating a flat glass production line, vision sensors identified microscopic defects during production, which were smaller than the 150 microns existing scanners can detect and far beyond what manual inspection can spot.
- Cost savings: Implementing this defect detection technology could save toughened glass suppliers around £1.8m by eliminating the heat soaking process and preserving 11,000m³ of glass that would otherwise be discarded as false positives.
- Industry milestone: This is a significant leap for the glass industry as we now have the technology to demonstrate with glass manufacturing partners, but we need their collaboration to elevate this innovation to the next level.
Detecting minute inclusions in glass could potentially eliminate the need for heat soaking thousands of panels before toughening. This technology has the potential to reduce the flat glass industry’s CO₂ emissions by 20,000 tonnes per year and minimise waste from destructive testing.
Dr Daniel Backhouse, Senior Glass Technologist at Glass Futures said: “I’m proud to share that we successfully completed the first cold trial on Glass Futures’ pilot line for the IRIFIO project. It was an exciting process, moving samples under the IRIFIO camera system to see how it performs in industrial conditions and we gathered valuable data that our project partners will now analyse. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with our partners to further develop and scale this technology for the glass industry.”
The project was managed by Science and Technology Facilities Council Hartree Centre, who also analysed the data. Other collaborators include glass manufacturing supply chain consultants Glass Technology Services, and international materials consultancy Lucideon to explore similar advancements in not only glass, but ceramic production processes as well.
Dr Richard French, Innovation Lead at i3D Robotics said: “The scale of IRIFIO’s ambition has been just one of the many challenges on this journey, but it’s extremely rewarding to have successfully demonstrated the technology’s operational viability in a real-world scenario. The foundation industries (Glass, Metals, Ceramics, Paper, and Chemicals) contribute 10% of the UK’s carbon emissions. Technologies such as these are vital to their achieving net-zero targets. It’s been a privilege to work with expert partners to deliver solutions that will help to shape the future of these vital industries.
