Integrating Edge AI in Smart Factories: A Case Study from the Paint Manufacturing Industry

Raviteja Meda

Abstract: The rapid advancements in edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, also known as edge computing, have made the use of AI computation on local smart edge devices for in-factory automated decision-making a reality. Paint manufacturing is a capital-intensive industry where process parameters must be strictly controlled, a long-time process for standard product progression, and timing and quality deviations are intolerable for some customized products. To produce money-backed customized products, the manufacturing process data must be assured to show perfect traceability. These add a new phase to the AI-powered smart factory literature. AI-powered smart edge devices, such as intelligent VFOs, AI-based cameras, and industrial PCs, are designed to work in a fan-less environment and are easily integrated with existing old machines. The integration of smart edge devices will convert smart factories into factories with smart machines, enabling data coverage for all workstations while minimizing loitering time over operating machines. Smart edge devices can upload the AI inference results to a mental cloud platform for real-time monitoring. This Edge AI-enabled mental cloud brings a brand-new computing topology for industrial big data. It has the advantages of both national public cloud and local industrial equipment. The introduction of Edge AI dramatically saves bandwidth and ensures data privacy, allowing for affordable and compliant solutions for industrial factories when data compliance issues are brought to the forefront. Case studies show that integrated Edge AI-enabled smart factories can realize a smoke-free production line at low costs and provide low-latency product quality predictions under acceptable accuracy, which reshapes the operation of paint manufacturing sites and provides new opportunities for the smart chemical industry.

Keywords: Edge AI in Manufacturing, Smart Factory Automation, AI at the Edge, Industrial Edge Computing, Paint Manufacturing 4.0, Real-Time AI Processing, Edge Analytics for Industry, AI-Driven Quality Control, Smart Sensors in Production, Factory Floor Intelligence, Predictive Maintenance with Edge AI, Edge-to-Cloud Integration, Industrial IoT and AI, Decentralized AI Systems, Edge Computing Use Case in Paint Industry

How to Cite?: Raviteja Meda, "Integrating Edge AI in Smart Factories: A Case Study from the Paint Manufacturing Industry", Volume 11 Issue 12, December 2022, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1473-1489, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=MS2212142906, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/MS2212142906