AI-powered Visual Analysis to enhance Paintline Efficiency

Terex Corporation is a global leader in manufacturing machinery for materials processing and aerial work platforms. To improve efficiency, the company sought to enhance its Paintline process, which applies protective coatings to products before final assembly. However, existing methods for tracking efficiency did not provide real-time insights or precise measurements, making it difficult to identify areas for improvement.

The Challenge

Terex measures Paintline efficiency using two key metrics: labour hours and the number of bars processed each day. Labour hours are tracked manually in spreadsheets, making the process time-consuming and lacking real-time insights. While the number of bars moving through the Paintline is recorded daily, this does not reflect how efficiently each bar is used, leading to potential waste. Without real-time, relevant data, supervisors and teams cannot make adjustments to improve productivity. To optimise operations, Terex needed a more precise, data-driven approach.

The Solution

To tackle this challenge, Terex partnered with the Hartree Centre Northern Ireland Hub to implement an AI-powered visual analysis system for measuring Paintline efficiency. Using advanced image recognition, the system identifies flight bars and assesses how much space is used on each one. It provides real-time efficiency data to supervisors and teams, allowing them to make quick, informed decisions. The data is also stored for historical analysis, helping Terex track trends and continuously optimise operations through a data-driven approach.

Rosie Wildwood

Quote from Rosie Wildwood

"This project enabled us, as a company, to explore an area that is very new to us and to access expertise that we would otherwise not have been able to. We are really pleased with the outcome, it will help us to work better, smarter and more efficiently. We hope to incorporate more and more technology of this nature into our processes."

Rosie Wildwood, Manufacturing & Engineering Apprentice 


Project Imact

The AI-powered visual analysis system, implemented in partnership with the Hartree Centre Northern Ireland Hub, is expected to deliver significant benefits for Terex, including:

  • Automated efficiency tracking – Real-time image analysis quantifies how effectively each Paintline bar is utilised.
  • Immediate performance feedback – Teams can make quick adjustments to optimise product arrangement and improve workflow.
  • Data-driven decision-making – Structured reports support ongoing process optimisation and productivity improvements.
  • Increased productivity – Maximising product loading per Paintline bar has improved throughput and reduced downtime.
  • Enhanced resource utilisation – Better arrangement of products on flight bars leads to improved efficiency.
  • Scalable future potential – The system lays the groundwork for future AI-driven enhancements, such as automated defect detection and predictive analytics.

Further Information

This work was completed as one of our data projects. Our projects are up to 12 weeks in duration. We will work alongside your business to scope your project, demonstrate proof of concept, and explore options to deploy it within your business. If you would like to learn more about the Hartree NI Hub and our Programme, please get in touch with us at: info@hartreeni.uk

Our Impact on UK Industry and Society

The Hartree National Centre for Digital Innovation enables businesses to acquire the skills, knowledge and technical capability required to adopt digital technologies like super computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. The SME Engagement Hubs play a key role in offering targeted support for business challenges in their region, creating value and generating economical and societal impact for the UK.