Fraunhofer IAIS at the Hannover Messe: Intelligent AI surface inspection

With Alvisto, visitors to Hannover Messe 2025 will be able to see for themselves the intelligent quality control of (matt) reflective surfaces, for example on car bodies. "In our collaboration with companies from the automotive industry, for example, but also from other sectors, we have repeatedly found that previous processes for checking reflective surfaces posed challenges. These include a great deal of manual inspection work, susceptibility to errors due to inconsistencies between different people and high costs," explains Sandra Halscheidt, Business Unit Manager at Fraunhofer IAIS. "We have addressed these problems and developed Alvisto, an intelligent surface inspection system that is characterized by its flexible design and easy integration into existing production processes."

Scanning surfaces for defects with AI

The Alvisto system scans surfaces and detects damage and production defects. The subsequent evaluation is carried out using hybrid AI, which combines data-based machine learning with global and expert knowledge and logical reasoning. The application is not limited to one type of product or industry, but can be customized for many purposes - for example, to check for damage to cell phone displays. Thanks to its flexible structure and simple integration, there is no need for a complex setup or high investments, nor are there any special location requirements. Interested parties can try out a sample application at the trade fair by scanning test mobile devices or their own cell phone on site. Alvisto has already been in use for the automated inspection of hail damage at various locations throughout Germany since 2022. A mobile, arch-shaped scanner, which can be set up within 30 minutes, checks the surfaces, the system recognizes hail dents and classifies them into size categories. The arch contains five cameras with a single-board computer; the image material is processed offline and without a connection to a cloud. The evaluation takes place in a quarter of the time it would have taken an expert to carry out the same manual inspection. Fraunhofer IAIS is represented with Alvisto and other AI solutions at the joint stand of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Hall 2, Stand B24.