Operation and Productivity Monitoring from Sound Signal of Legacy Pipe Bending Machine via Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)

This study introduces a non-invasive approach to monitor operation and productivity of a legacy pipe bending machine in real-time based on a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) model and internal sound as input data. Various sensors were deployed to determine the optimal sensor type and placement, and labels for training and testing the CNN model were generated through the meticulous collection of sound data in conjunction with webcam videos. The CNN model, which was optimized through hyperparameter tuning via grid search and utilized feature extraction using Log-Mel spectrogram, demonstrated notable prediction accuracies in the test. However, when applied in a real-world manufacturing scenario, the model encountered a significant number of errors in predicting productivity. To navigate through this challenge and enhance the predictive accuracy of the system, a buffer algorithm using the inferences of CNN models was proposed. This algorithm employs a queuing method for continuous sound monitoring securing robust predictions, refines the interpretation of the CNN model inferences, and enhances prediction outcomes in actual implementation where accuracy of monitoring productivity information is crucial. The proposed lightweight CNN model alongside the buffer algorithm was successfully deployed on an edge computer, enabling real-time remote monitoring.