When Every Minute Counts: How Computer Vision Helps Technicians Focus on What Matters
When we introduced AVIA (Advanced Visual Intelligence for Assembly), we set out to build machine learning solutions to better assess and eventually improve processes, quality and safety in commercial aircraft production. One of the persistent frustrations on the assembly floor is the cumbersome process to record completed work. Whether technicians are assembling cabin components or installing complex avionics systems, each task must be meticulously recorded, and that usually means either manually recording completed work on a mobile device or trekking to a distant terminal multiple times during a shift.
The Hidden Costs of Manual Logging
While data logging is imperative for compliance, as well as to provide valuable data to quality assurance, manual logging can disrupt workflows and add friction to an already demanding environment. For production teams working against tight timelines, those repeated context switches add up quickly. On average, each technician loses about 15 minutes per day with these manual logging activities which could easily translate into tens of millions of dollars in annual savings.
For Manufacturing Engineering teams looking to improve the process, the picture becomes even more complicated. For these teams, accurate, timely data is important in determining where process bottlenecks occur and where optimizations can be made. This means reporting of task completion is only providing half the story, knowing the average completion time of specific tasks can help these teams build future work instructions and check that current build plans are realistic and that production workers have enough time to complete their tasks.
Designed for Simplicity, Built for Trust
We saw an opportunity to rethink this process from the ground up. The result is our AVIA process recognition software, enabling automatic recognition and logging of completed production tasks. In order to bring this software to the production floor, we’ve built an early-stage prototype camera: a lightweight, homegrown system built from off-the-shelf components in a custom-designed housing. Compact and easy to reposition, it enables the team to take AVIA on the road and test in more realistic environments, as well as how a camera will integrate seamlessly with existing workflows and require minimal setup from production employees.
Importantly, both the hardware and accompanying software are designed with privacy in mind. Video is never stored, personnel data is restricted from access, and only event data is streamed to a server for processing. With this unique architecture, the system essentially captures data in the same manner as if it was a technician walking to a terminal validating their credentials and logging the completed task.
Currently, the camera passively observes work, translating imagery into data using object detection and tracking. It identifies tools and parts, verifies process steps and confirms that qualified employees complete each task before securely streaming data in real-time to the AVIA process recognizer, eliminating the need for manual inputs.
A Smarter, Simpler Way to Keep Work Moving
With AVIA and its accompanying camera, technicians no longer need to interrupt their work to manually log progress, as task completion is automatically recorded in the background. This streamlines workflows and reduces the time spent walking back and forth to terminals—saving each employee valuable minutes that add up to significant cost savings across the organization. The system also provides real-time visibility into whether any Foreign Object Debris (FOD) has been left behind, helping teams resolve issues proactively. Just as important, it confirms that each step was completed by the appropriate, qualified employee according to established procedures, ensuring rigorous quality control, supporting compliance and ultimately driving both individual efficiency and operational savings.
As Martin Bolton, Head of Industrial Technologies at Airbus, explains: “While similar technology, like monitoring aircraft movement on the factory floor with computer vision, is useful, it offers limited value. AVIA, however, tracks processes at a detailed level, automatically recording activities and alleviating the burden on technicians, allowing them to focus on their work without additional tasks. This effectively addresses a significant, daily pain point on the shop floor. From a regulatory standpoint, we must demonstrate that every process is completed by qualified individuals according to defined procedures. This is crucial for identifying root causes in case of failures and ensuring compliance.”
Our plans are to take this camera even further by upgrading our edge hardware to support improved onboard processing and enable setup directly inside the aircraft during cabin installation tasks. These enhancements will make it possible to capture a full 360-degree view of the cabin interior and deliver real-time insights to production teams during testing and assembly. This evolution showcases Acubed’s continued progress and thoughtful, out-of-the-box approach to solve real-world challenges.
If you’re interested in joining our team, see our open roles here.