The Importance of Automation in Inspection Work? Explaining Methods to Avoid Errors in Inspection Work

The process of inspection is crucial in ensuring product quality from manufacturing to reaching the hands of consumers. As manufacturing processes become increasingly automated, there is a growing demand for automation in inspection tasks as well. This article will explore the benefits of automating inspection tasks and methods to avoid errors in inspection work.

The Background and Necessity of Automating Inspection Tasks

There is an essential process known as inspection that takes place between the manufacturing of a product and its delivery to the consumer. As automation advances in the manufacturing process, there is also a growing demand for automation in inspection tasks. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of cases where machines perform inspection tasks that were previously considered challenging to automate.
While the automation of inspection is rapidly progressing, why is it necessary in the logistics industry? The background lies in the following challenges faced by the logistics industry

Shortage of Labor

In recent years, many companies in the manufacturing and logistics industries have been facing a shortage of labor, with signs of the '2030 Problem' and a lack of personnel to train new skills becoming increasingly apparent. In Japan, which is experiencing an aging population and entering a period of population decline, the current labor force of approximately 70 million is predicted to decrease to around 63 million by 2030, representing a decrease of approximately 10%.
The '2030 Problem' not only involves a decrease in the labor force but also a shift in demographics. While the manufacturing and transportation industries have traditionally been dominated by adult males, it is expected that this proportion will decrease in the future, with an increase in the proportion of women, elderly individuals, and foreigners.
In such circumstances, conducting inspection tasks requires resources such as manpower and working hours. Achieving high-precision inspection, such as through dual-checking by two personnel to reduce the risk of human error, entails additional labor costs. Moreover, when inexperienced staff members are involved in the work, the time taken to search for items due to lack of knowledge or experience can lead to further delays and increase the likelihood of human error. The complexity of tasks also increases with a greater number of items to handle, requiring more time to complete.

Rising Quality Standards of Products

As products become increasingly complex, quality standards have been elevated, necessitating improved accuracy and management standards for the components used. Additionally, with the proliferation of the internet and the expansion of the e-commerce market, especially against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, logistics operations are now handling a diverse range of products. Returns from consumers in e-commerce transactions impose additional burdens on logistics operations, further highlighting the importance of quality control in managing these aspects.

Delay in Digital Transformation (DX)

While the logistics industry is generally considered to be advancing in terms of digital transformation, there exists a significant gap in DX between large enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Particularly, SMEs often struggle to align their systems with those adopted by larger companies, making it challenging to develop their own unique business models. As a result, the logistics industry faces a challenge where the full realization of DX, including the disparity in DX and the creation of new business models, has not been achieved.

The Benefits of Automating Inspection Work

Streamlining and Workforce Reduction

Streamlining refers to the reduction of workload. For instance, by introducing robots to automate inspection tasks, the labor required can be reduced, and the time spent on the task can be cut by 60% compared to conventional methods. Next, workforce reduction entails reducing the number of workers required for a task while streamlining it. Not only does this simply reduce labor costs, but it also frees up individuals for other processes or creative activities that require human thought.

Quality Stabilization and Standardization of Operations

In manual inspection tasks, human error is inevitable, as they rely on human hands and eyes. Moreover, inspections that require subjective judgment can also introduce errors influenced by inspectors, timing, and conditions. With the automation of inspections, errors and discrepancies resulting from human dependency can be eliminated, leading to increased reproducibility. Since the same method is consistently followed for each operation, standardization of operations is achieved, thereby enhancing traceability.

Differentiation from Competitors

Automating inspection tasks can lead to achievements such as quality stabilization and reduction in lead times. This enables companies conducting manual inspections to differentiate their services from competitors. Such differentiation can serve as a criterion for shippers when selecting logistics providers, potentially yielding positive effects in sales and marketing efforts.

Ways to Avoid Errors in Inspection Tasks

The automation of inspection tasks has been made possible by advancements in various technologies. As tools for automating inspections, we will introduce the RFID gate and camera-based automatic inspection methods.

Utilizing RFID Gates

To address challenges such as human errors and increased workload, leveraging RFID for streamlining inspection tasks can be highly effective. RFID, which stands for Radio Frequency Identification, encompasses devices for reading RFID tags and the medium for reading and writing information.
One significant advantage of RFID is its ability to read multiple items simultaneously, even in the presence of distance, obstacles, or dirt. While it's important to note that RFID can be susceptible to influences like metal, moisture, and noise, there are also RFID variants designed to withstand such conditions.

Using Camera-Based Automatic Inspection Methods

Camera-based automatic inspection methods involve capturing images of incoming items with dedicated cameras, then reading tags (such as QR codes or barcodes) to confirm information like content and quantity. Unlike RFID, this method is not affected by the weaknesses of RFID, such as metal, moisture, or noise, allowing for efficient inspection.
However, drawbacks include the inability to read tags in cases of tag dirtiness, poor printing, or tags being placed at the bottom of items, posing physical limitations to the reading process.

Solving Inspection Challenges with LOGITO

Until now, the inspection process has been considered challenging to automate, necessitating the deployment of human resources. However, with the evolution of digital technology, certain aspects of inspection tasks have become automatable. Many companies are leveraging digital technology to achieve efficiency in inspection processes. However, evaluating and implementing a system that is suitable for one's own company can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
At LOGITO, we collaborate with various manufacturers, both domestically and internationally, to achieve efficiency in inspection tasks. We are capable of providing optimal solutions tailored to your needs, not only in terms of hardware such as RFID gates, conveyors, and cameras but also in coordinating the provision of information and problem-solving related to chips and tags.
In the following document, we introduce specific solutions for improving inspection processes. We invite those interested to take a look.