Robro Systems Revolutionizing Textile Inspection with AI

Robro Systems specializes in providing cutting-edge camera-based automatic inspection and monitoring solutions tailored for error-proofing and maintaining high-quality standards. Our leading product, Kiara, stands out as an advanced image-processing platform catering to various industries, particularly manufacturing. With Kiara, we’ve achieved a remarkable 90% reduction in manual inspection errors while offering affordability that surpasses existing systems by up to 30%.

Notably, Robro Systems’ Kiara excels as a high-performance web inspection system, capable of swiftly detecting a wide array of defects in real-time. It furnishes operators with a comprehensive defect map, enabling them to fine-tune production processes for optimized efficiency and unwavering quality control.

Moreover, our system boasts seamless integration capabilities with any production line, garnering widespread adoption among major corporations and production facilities across India. Its applications span across inspecting textiles, labels, sheets, and more, leading to a substantial 70% reduction in waste and ensuring a flawless 100% quality control rate.

In an exclusive discussion with The Interview World, Mukesh Kumar Sharma, Vice President (Sales & Marketing) at Robro Systems, emphasized how Kiara, an AI-driven visual computing platform, revolutionizes the textile industry by streamlining defect detection and significantly cutting labor and recycling costs. Here are the pivotal insights gleaned from his interview.

Q: What strategies and technologies is your company employing to tackle defects management in the textile industry, particularly through the implementation of AI-driven computer vision systems?

A: The textile industry, renowned for its labor-intensive nature, often faces challenges in ensuring the quality and efficiency of production processes. Manual inspection methods, while long-standing, are inherently slow and susceptible to errors inherent in human judgment. Recognizing the need for a more reliable and efficient approach, we have embraced the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies alongside advanced camera systems. This innovative combination enables us to achieve unparalleled accuracy, surpassing the 99% mark, and significantly accelerating the inspection process.

Traditionally, factories have relied on manual labor for defect detection across multiple critical stages of production, including manufacturing, sorting, counting, and packaging. However, this reliance comes at a cost – both in terms of time and resources. Manual inspections are not only time-consuming but also lack the cost-effectiveness required in today’s competitive landscape. In response, our AI-based solution, Kiara, emerges as a transformative force in the industry. With its cloud reporting tools and real-time data analytics capabilities, Kiara offers a comprehensive approach to error-proof production. By streamlining line monitoring and inspection processes, Kiara represents a paradigm shift towards effortless factory automation, promising enhanced efficiency, accuracy, and ultimately, profitability for textile manufacturers.

Q: What is the distribution of defects in materials produced by textile companies?

A: Defects are an inevitable aspect of manufacturing processes, underscoring the critical importance of quality inspections. Without such assessments, flaws can persist in products, jeopardizing their integrity and customer satisfaction. Understanding the diverse nature of defects, we recognize that each fabric harbors its own unique defect family, stemming from various sources.

These sources range from issues with the loom to lapses in operator attention and occasional machine malfunctions. To combat these challenges, we leverage cutting-edge technology in the form of computer vision. This enables us to systematically collect defect data from our database, facilitating a granular understanding of each defect and its associated family.

As our system meticulously inspects machinery, it captures and categorizes defect data, providing valuable insights into the prevalence of specific defects within each family. Through this AI-driven approach, we consolidate defect distribution data, empowering us to deliver comprehensive reports to our clients.

These reports, provided on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, serve as invaluable tools for our clients, enabling them to implement targeted corrective measures. Armed with this information, they can proactively address defects, enhancing product quality and bolstering customer satisfaction.

Q: What is the quantifiable reduction in effort or labor cost attributed to the implementation of this product?

A: During the production of plastic fabric or FIBC polypropylene fabric, defects often arise in both the cutting and looming processes. These defects contribute to a significant quantity of material for recycling, typically falling within the industry standard range of 3% to 12%, which varies based on the grade being produced.

Here, we implement measures to surpass standard recycling rates by saving more than 60% to 70% of the material earmarked for recycling. This constitutes a substantial waste reduction, alongside considerable savings in labor costs.

Moreover, the benefits extend beyond waste reduction. By minimizing the amount allocated for recycling, we simultaneously decrease recycling costs. This reduction, combined with savings in labor expenses, results in an overall reduction of around 70% in recycled waste.

Q: What is your customer base within the Indian textile industry, and do you also serve international clients?

A: At present, our client base comprises esteemed entities such as COMSYN, Kanpur Plastipack, and MB Industries, with whom we engage in supplying flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC). Concurrently, we have forged partnerships for point-of-sale (POS) ventures with Candor Textiles and Plastene. Our primary focus in the initial phase revolves around the production of woven polypropylene fabric, a cornerstone of the FIBC industry.

It’s noteworthy that the FIBC sector wields substantial influence in India, ranking as the second-largest globally, trailing only behind China. Through our involvement in this sector, we have successfully served the needs of approximately 25 to 30 major customers, each employing multiple machines from our inventory.

Looking ahead, our expansion horizons extend to Bangladesh, where we will dispatch our systems next month, aiming to tap into its expansive textile market. Although our operations currently center in India, we are gearing up for international expansion, slated to commence from the forthcoming month.

Q: What is your current market size, and how do you envision it evolving over the next five years?

A: In examining the textile industry, our attention gravitates toward the relatively narrow domain of polypropylene. However, this focus belies the vastness of the overall inspection market, which stands at approximately Rs. 8,000 crores, experiencing a robust 15% compound annual growth rate. Despite the market’s considerable magnitude, our present engagement is confined to a mere fraction of its potential. Recognizing this limitation, we are strategically diversifying our reach into untapped sectors, gradually expanding our market presence. Through this proactive approach, we aim to not only broaden our business horizons but also cultivate new revenue streams, fortifying our position in the industry.