Smarter Metal Forging: Real-Time Defect Detection

Problem Statement

Metal forging operations demands extensive manual inspection, requiring large teams and raising costs. Human bias and inconsistency often leads to missed defects, while the absence of real-time monitoring allowed cracks, dents, and dimensional deviations to progress undetected. This not only increased scrap and rework but also extended downtime, disrupted delivery schedules, and hurt profitability. With growing production volumes, manufacturers struggled to analyse quality data at scale, making it difficult to spot recurring defect patterns or implement sustainable process improvements.

Solution

Tata Elxsi deployed IRIS – an AI-driven video analytics platform with on-premise AI models and local storage. The solution enabled real-time monitoring of forged metal parts for critical defects such as cracks, dents, deformation, hole misalignment, and missing features. Automatic alerts to operators and supervisors ensured quick intervention, while machine-stop triggers prevented defective parts from advancing. A centralized dashboard provided supervisors with end-to-end visibility, enabling faster decisions, improved traceability, and smarter quality management across production lines.

Impact

The solution transformed inspection efficiency and product quality.

• Operator productivity improved by 25–35% with reduced manual workload​
• Scrap and rework fell by 20–40% through early defect detection

Real-time alerts minimized downtime by preventing machine and process-level failures, strengthening throughput, cost efficiency, and customer confidence in delivery reliability.​

Services Rendered

• AI & Video Analytics Development​
• On-Premise Platform Deployment​
• Real-Time Monitoring & Alerts​
• Centralized Dashboard & Reporting​
• Process Optimizing Consulting