ASSIST Software Engineers Win Volkswagen Challenge for Automated Quality Inspection

ASSIST Software GmbH, the German subsidiary of Romania's ASSIST Software, has been named one of two winners of the Volkswagen Automated Inspection Challenge. Organized by Volkswagen Group Innovation and Startup Factory boOst, the competition focused on automating the final inspection of cylinder heads at Volkswagen's engine plant in Chemnitz, Germany.

The recognition follows the work of an ASSIST engineering team on a manufacturing problem that demands close attention to both visible defects and inspection conditions. The assignment covered 157 drill holes and 24 surfaces across all six sides of a cylinder head, with teams required to demonstrate detection performance using real component samples.

For ASSIST, the objective was to approach the task with the contextual judgment of an experienced inspector. Identifying an unusual mark is one step; determining whether it represents damage, an acceptable variation, or a misleading reflection requires a fuller assessment of the component and the available evidence.

Building on the judgment of experienced inspectors

"Our goal was to build a system that approaches inspection as an expert would. An experienced inspector considers the context, checks the component from the necessary angles, and knows when something needs a closer look. We wanted to account for those details, including the ones a machine might otherwise overlook." said Alexandru Boca, Robotics Expert and Head of the Mobile Department at ASSIST Software.

Boca represented ASSIST at the event alongside Gabriel Tironeac, VP of Innovation; Tudor Andronic, AI Engineer; Cristina Tironeac, Project Manager; and Teodor Drobota, Business Operations Specialist. The delegation brought together expertise in robotics and innovation, project delivery, and business operations, representing the wider team behind the entry.

The challenge required that expertise be applied against defined manufacturing requirements. Reflective metal can conceal a defect or create the appearance of one. Recessed holes and internal features can remain difficult to observe, even when the surrounding surface is clearly visible. Small changes in positioning can alter the images available for assessment.

These conditions make inspection coverage an engineering priority. Before software can assess a feature, the system must capture enough detail to support that assessment. A feature that has not been observed adequately cannot simply be treated as acceptable.