.png)
“I’ve been on the manufacturing floor and have studied all sorts of advanced manufacturing topics, and one of the things that has always struck me is how inefficient and costly many very important aspects of advanced manufacturing there are - like quality monitoring,” says Mike Mohseni, the founder of AutoMetrics.
“There’s a degree of human intuition that’s required on the production line to detect defects before a product is shipped, and if issues aren’t caught early, the supply chain impacts for a business can be costly.”
His solution, which sounds simple but is incredibly complex, was to develop an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled quality monitoring application that helps robots to “think like a human” about complex processes on the production line. Called Inspection 4.0, the end goal of the technology is to help robots detect potential production line issues so defective parts don’t escape the production line. The result would be a more reliable manufacturing system for a business.
Mike and his team first tested the tool with MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding operators and have since expanded the tool’s use to other industries.
“What we’re doing is incredibly unique because most of the technologies out there detect issues on the production line when it’s too late to resolve them,” Mike says. “Inspection 4.0 makes quality monitoring proactive and ensures defects can be avoided real-time.”
The best part about the technology, he adds, is the system is scalable and can be used in a plug-and-play fashion by a manufacturer.
“We’ve always known that software and AI can scare manufacturers because of the cost and time involved in adopting and activating something new,” he says. “But because what we offer can be implemented without interrupting the manufacturing line, Inspection 4.0 is a low-risk, high-reward way for companies to test our tool for themselves.”
Mike and his team also make it extremely easy for a manufacturer to get started with the technology. All someone has to do is reach out to the team; an on-site visit will then be set up. Once the needs of the company are evaluated, AutoMetrics will lend the company the system as a test. Mike knows once they see the power the tool can bring to an production line, a manufacturer will inevitably want to invest in a longer-term arrangement.
“We have a technology that’s proven to work,” he says, “and the cost savings for companies are clear.”
Up next for AutoMetrics, he says, is the expansion of the company’s products to various industries. Mike is also set to continue his work with ventureLAB, something he’s been doing for about a year as part of the Accelerate AI cohort. (The six month program helps AI-focused businesses that seek to solve supply chain issues grow.)
“We have established a great, productive working relationship with ventureLAB, and even work from their office,” he says. “They have great advisors - and working with those advisors has been one of the greatest outcomes from both a product development and technical growth perspective. We’ve also benefited from their business and sales knowledge.”
Mike encourages every startup owner to tap into a network like ventureLAB’s to grow their business. “We’re, as entrepreneurs, trying to introduce something unique into the marketplace,” he says. “And that can put you in a lonely position. There are many, many people who have taken the path you’re taking now and their experiences are very valuable. Don’t try to take all of the steps alone.”
You also have to keep an eye on your end goal - you have to believe in the solution for the problem you’re trying to solve.
“I’ve always tried to solve real-world problems with software and code. AutoMetrics is an evolution of that. It’s solving some big manufacturing automation issues with advanced software and applied AI. I know we’re improving how things are done on the manufacturing line.”
About Accelerate AI
Led by our seasoned expert Advisors and business leaders Garry Chan and Krishna Vempati, this free comprehensive 6-month program will propel Accelerate AI companies to solve the modern-day challenges of the supply chain industry by leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning into their established product offerings. We are excited to watch the immense growth of these companies as they tackle some of the most challenging entrepreneurial hurdles in technology today.
About ventureLAB
ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontario’s innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 5,000 jobs and raise more than $350 million in investment capital. At ventureLAB, we grow globally competitive tech titans that build-to-scale in Canada, for global markets.
