Audi, Artificial Intelligence to optimise efficiency
Significantly increasing business efficiency through cutting-edge tools based on artificial intelligence (AI): this is the goal of Audi, which is considerably expanding the adoption of AI applications both in production and for other internal processes. The results are very satisfying not only in terms of efficiency, but also for what concerns costs and quality.
Innovation and efficiency
Currently, more than 100 projects are implemented at Audi sites, gradually integrated into production and business processes. The main focus is on AI-supported quality monitoring and the use of generative AI.
A successful example in the latter area is the Tender Toucan project, which uses artificial intelligence to analyse bids in the tender process. This AI tool creates a list of requirements, searches for the relevant sections in the bids and evaluates the degree to which the requirements are fulfilled, clearly saving time.
An artificial intelligence application for image processing was recently adopted at the assembly plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm: “IRIS” uses cameras to check whether the labels with technical data are correctly applied to the vehicle. In detail, the label with the right content in the right language must be attached to the right component in the right position: this ensures vehicle conformity. Technicians still carry out spot checks, but verification via “IRIS” saves about one minute of production time per vehicle.
And again, Audi recently joined forces with Siemens to introduce an additional artificial intelligence-supported quality control in series production at the Neckarsulm bodyshop. Previously, technicians would manually inspect the underbody for weld spatter and then remove it. Now the “Weld Splatter Detection” (WSD) application uses artificial intelligence to detect possible weld splatter - metal deposits that could cause cables to break - on the underbody of vehicles. In a further expansion phase in the coming months, a robotic arm will automatically remove the splatters. Thus, “WSD” not only saves time in production, but also improves work safety and ergonomics for technicians.
Data management
In parallel, Audi is also advancing the systematic expansion of its data organisation. In the production area, the volume of data is the highest in the company, with hundreds of petabytes of existing data and thousands of gigabytes of new data created every day. Gerd Walker, Member of the Board of Management of Audi AG with responsibility for Production and Logistics, explains the potential of this data density: 'Artificial intelligence enables us to utilise our enormous treasure trove of data more comprehensively in production and accelerates the path of the 360factory strategy towards a data-driven factory.
360factory is in fact Audi's strategy for fully connected, innovative and sustainable manufacturing, making the most of the potential of AI and data to improve business processes and the customer experience with services and products.