The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) received the 2016 Hong Kong Awards for Industries (HKAI) in the Equipment and Machinery Design category. ASTRI won the award for its innovation system of ‘Cover Glass and Touch Panel Glass Automatic Defects Inspection System’, presented at the HKAI Awards Presentation Ceremony-cum-Gala Dinner held on 13 December 2016 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Jointly developed by ASTRI and Truly Opto-Electronics Ltd (TRULY), the ‘Cover Glass and Touch Panel Glass Automatic Defects Inspection System’ is an innovative intelligent inspection system, providing high-precision and high-efficiency inspection solution for glass surfaces based on machine vision technology. The system can significantly reduce workload and cost for component surface quality control, as well as the need to inspect product appearance in production lines. The system is particularly relevant for cover glass and touch panel glass in the mobile phone industry and other glass panel product industries.
Mr Wong Ming-yam, BBS, JP, Chairman of the Board of ASTRI, congratulated the institute’s R&D team and its collaborative partner TRULY saying, “Thanks to the efforts of the ASTRI and TRULY teams, we have attained another breakthrough in our R&D to develop intelligent technology solutions that are adopted by the industry. Intelligent Manufacturing is one of ASTRI’s strategic R&D areas. We will continue strive to develop cutting edge technologies and help Hong Kong progress towards the intelligent manufacturing era (i.e. Industry 4.0) and promote economic growth.”
The performance of ASTRI’s Glass Automatic Defects Inspection System is fast, stable and robust. Its fast defect density estimation technology enables reduction of 80% time spent for defect density estimation. Also, the deep learning-based machine learning algorithm in this system leads to a significant reduction of false ‘defect alerts’ by 95%. By using this system, the throughput rate of inspection of One Glass Solution (OGS) panel can be greatly reduced to six seconds per panel which is more than four times as fast as when the same function is carried out manually. Two of the technologies used in the systems, i.e. human eye bionic illumination technology and fast defect density estimation technology, were also patented.
The HKAI aims to recognise the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong enterprises in pursuit of high technology and high value-added activities, and to commend excellence in various aspects of their performance. Among the seven categories, the equipment and machinery design category was organised by the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong with the objective to encourage the upgrading of the design of equipment and machineries in Hong Kong to enhance competitiveness, and to recognise to outstanding products.
Mr Wong Ming-yam (left), BBS, JP, Chairman of the Board of ASTRI represents ASTRI and TRULY to receive the HKAI: Equipment and Machinery Design Award
ASTRI’s Senior management and R&D team at the HKAI 2016 event
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