Siemens AG has acquired Inspekto GmbH, a startup in automated visual inspection, from D11Z.Ventures GmbH & Co. KG (Heilbronn, Germany), a venture capital firm that focuses on early stage funding for AI companies.
Inspekto (Heilbronn, Germany) introduced its visual inspection in-a-box product in 2018. The product, INSPEKTO S70, features deep learning software and all the components—such as camera, lens, and lighting—necessary for a machine vision system. Originally located in Raman-Gan, Israel, the company claims that employees at manufacturing facilities can install the system in minutes without help from an integrator.
INSPEKTO S70 uses 20 to 30 images of good products to train and then is immediately ready to install on a production line. The product’s AI software, AMV-AI, comprises three AI engines: one that adjusts optics parameters to produce clear images, a second that identifies the part, and a third to perform the inspection.
Siemens (Munich, Germany) already was an early customer of Inspekto. For example, Siemens deployed the system at its plant in Karlsruhe, Germany, to ensure that all components of a SIM-tray housing product were assembled properly before being packaged.
Inspekto is a 2019 gold-level honoree in Vision Systems Design’s Innovators Awards. In addition to Siemens, the company's customers include BMW Group (Munich, Germany) and BSH Home Appliance Corp. (Irvine, CA, USA).
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INSPEKTO S70 is available as a centrally controlled stand-alone or mobile system.
In explaining the sale to Siemens, Ulrich Eger, CEO of Inspekto, says, “Due to economic change and the need for dynamic production requirements, the demand from manufacturers for flexible, autonomous quality inspection systems has risen continuously worldwide. With Siemens AG, Inspekto has now found a strong partner to continue to successfully develop and offer the products, technologies, and services of Inspekto GmbH worldwide."
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Rainer Brehm, CEO of Siemens Factory Automation, adds, “Inspekto’s innovative AI technology and capabilities are another valuable addition to our industrial AI software portfolio. This strengthens our offering in the Siemens Industrial Edge ecosystem for our customers.” The ecosystem comprises software and services to access, analyze and store data from IoT automation devices located throughout the plant floor.
