COALA Industrial Workshop #2

Supporting Quality Control and Data Analytics in Manufacturing with a Digital Intelligent Assistant

Thu, 14 September 2023 –  15:00 – 16:30 CEST

Skilled workers familiar with the production processes and who deeply understand the data’s context are needed when adopting and practising data analytics. Training data analysts or less experienced workers often take a long time, and the shortage of skilled workers is another critical barrier to adopting data analytics tools in production. Application of AI and natural language processing in chatbots and voice assistants may support workers using data analytics tools.

COALA Digital Intelligent Assistant (DIA) implements artificial intelligence to support workers in production. It consists of a conversational user interface, allowing interaction with workers by voice or text and generating a visualization of shop floor data. It can assist the factory workers with data preparation, processing and understanding the results.

This second COALA Industrial Workshop discussed how a digital assistant can support factory workers in performing data analytics in the white goods industry. Take an example during quality tests in a laboratory at the end of the production line. COALA’s approach to minimising production quality issues is by applying predictive and prescriptive quality analytics. This online workshop demonstrated one of the COALA features, namely Augmented Manufacturing Analytics, how it interacts with the users and provides analytical and decision support on the shop floor.

COALA Project Coordinator Stefan Wellsandt from BIBA outlined the COALA solution and the project’s main results. Mina Foosherian from BIBA will demonstrate the final prototype of the COALA Augmented Manufacturing Analytics Assistant and different implementation scenarios in the product quality control process. Enrica Bosani from Whirlpool Europe shared the success stories and lessons learned from evaluating the COALA Digital Assistant implemented in the Zero Hour Testing (ZHT) laboratory of the Microwave and Oven (MWO) factory.

This online workshop is free of charge and dedicated to people who want to see a concrete implementation of AI assistance technology in a real business case. It is interactive, where you can ask questions to the expert panel, and we are happy to receive your feedback on the COALA solution.

Main Speakers

Stefan Wellsandt works as a research scientist for the Institute for Production and Logistics (BIBA) in Bremen, Germany. He has ten years of experience in international, collaborative research on smart cities, the Internet of Things, product development, and data quality management. Since 2020, Stefan works on conversational AI in Manufacturing. He coordinates the COALA project. Stefan authored more than 30 academic publications and is an enthusiast of the ethical use of AI.

Enrica Bosani is Manufacturing R&D Project Manager at Whirlpool Corporation and focuses on the topics Industry 4.0 and Human-Machine-Interaction. With several years in the industry she also has gained an extensive knowledge in Change and Development Management.

Mina Foosherian is a research associate at BIBA. She has a master’s degree in Media Informatics from the University of Bremen. In the COALA project, she is responsible for designing and developing user interactions via natural language with the Digital Intelligent Assistant.

Recordings

COALA Industrial Workshop #2 – Welcome And Agenda

This second COALA Industrial Workshop discusses how a digital assistant can support factory workers in performing data analytics in the white goods industry.

COALA Industrial Workshop #2 – COALA Solution – Final results

COALA Project Coordinator Stefan Wellsandt from BIBA outlined the COALA solution and the project’s main results.

COALA Industrial Workshop #2 – Implementation in White Goods business case: Success stories.

Enrica Bosani from Whirlpool Europe shared the success stories and lessons learned from evaluating the COALA Digital Assistant implemented in the Zero Hour Testing (ZHT) laboratory of the Microwave and Oven (MWO) factory.

COALA Industrial Workshop #2 – Demonstration of COALA digital intelligent assistant

Mina Foosherian from BIBA demonstrated the final prototype of the COALA Augmented Manufacturing Analytics Assistant and different implementation scenarios in the product quality control process.