What We’re Building: AI Inspection Deployments for Automotive, Medical, and More

As demand for automated inspection continues to rise across industries, manufacturers are seeking AI vision systems that are not only accurate—but also scalable, adaptable, and easy to integrate. At LM3 Technologies, we’re actively delivering new solutions that meet those demands using our vertically integrated platform: QC Hero for AI training and PAQi for real-time deployment at the edge.

Over the past several months, we’ve completed and initiated a range of new AI inspection deployments across automotive, medical, metal stamping, and molding environments. While client names remain confidential, the use cases below reflect the depth, flexibility, and growing adoption of our AI vision solutions in production-critical applications.

Medical Manufacturing: Coating & Surface Inspection for Additive Implants

In the medical industry, ensuring the quality of plasma-sprayed and bioactive coatings on 3D-printed implants is a critical concern. We’ve developed a real-time AI inspection system designed specifically to detect:

• Uneven coating coverage

• Surface texture inconsistencies

• Pinholes, embedded particles, or voids

• Delamination and adhesion defects

Using a high-resolution camera setup paired with QC Hero-trained vision models, this system identifies micro-level defects that could compromise implant performance or regulatory compliance. The system is integrated with traceability tools, allowing full inspection data logging for every unit, and supports continuous retraining as new defect variations are observed.

Automotive: Sub-Assembly Verification and Soft Surface Inspection

In a high-throughput automotive production environment, we’re deploying an AI inspection system focused on multi-layer sub-assemblies, such as those used in headliners and interior trim. This solution verifies:

• Fastener presence and alignment

• Wrinkle and fold patterns in soft surfaces

• Part orientation and assembly sequence

• Missing or damaged clips and connectors

The solution leverages a single overhead camera and AI-based object detection to inspect multiple components in a single field of view. With integration to the plant’s PLC network, it provides real-time part validation, operator lockout, and defect visualization, enabling corrective action without halting production.

Metals: Defect Detection on Large Stamped Components

For a client in the heavy manufacturing space, we’re deploying a dual-cell AI inspection system to analyze large, stamped steel components. Each cell is equipped with a multi-camera configuration providing full top, side, and angled views for detecting:

• Cracks, fractures, and incomplete punch features

• Misaligned cutouts or bends

• Burrs, distortions, and tool wear artifacts

• Excess material or profile deviation

The system achieves inspection speeds under 1 second per part, and includes a PLC-controlled pass/fail interface tied directly to automated material handling and sorting mechanisms. Data from each inspection is logged for performance tracking and process improvement.

Molding: In-Line Inspection for High-Mix Plastic Components

For a manufacturer producing multiple molded SKUs, we've developed a flexible, in-line AI vision station designed to adapt to high-mix production. This application supports:

• Short shot and flash detection

• Sink mark and warpage analysis

• Dimensional conformity checks

• Ejection and part presence verification

The station uses a configurable lighting booth and multi-camera setup to capture consistent images, and supports on-demand model switching via the QC Hero platform. Operators can retrain and deploy updated models quickly—without disrupting production or reprogramming hardware.

Common Threads: A Unified AI Vision Architecture

What connects all of these projects is LM3’s end-to-end platform architecture, which simplifies AI deployment at every stage:

• QC Hero: A proprietary, cloud-native training pipeline that allows for rapid AI model development, performance validation, and version control. Built on Google Cloud with TPU acceleration, QC Hero reduces training time to under 2 hours in most cases.

• PAQi Controller: A rugged, factory-ready deployment unit with built-in PC, PLC, and industrial I/O. PAQi executes AI models in real time, connects to PLCs and MES systems, and supports multi-camera configurations.

• In-House System Design and Integration: LM3 manages consultation, prototyping, camera and lighting selection, AI training, controls programming, installation, and support internally—allowing us to deliver turnkey systems faster and with fewer integration risks.

Each solution is purpose-built to solve specific challenges, while maintaining the flexibility to evolve with the customer’s production environment.

Looking Ahead

As manufacturers move from proof-of-concept to production-scale AI vision deployments, LM3 Technologies continues to lead by delivering high-performance, deeply integrated, and fully supported systems. Our upcoming projects include applications in:

• Spray pattern consistency monitoring using LiDAR

• Thermal imaging defect classification in electronics

• Automated OCR for traceability and serialization

• 3D surface inspection for forged and cast parts

Whether the need is dimensional, cosmetic, or process-based, our team builds inspection systems that deliver value immediately and scale effortlessly.