The growing complexity of global supply chains demands forward-looking and scalable solutions. Product-level traceability, real-time data acquisition, and process transparency are now critical success factors. In response to these rising challenges, COMI (collective mind) and Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente have partnered to implement a solution: AI-powered, camera-based goods receiving that is transforming logistics processes and redefining the efficiency benchmark. By Markus Förste, Head of AI at COMI (collective mind) and Christian Krebs, Head of Project & Process Management at Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente
Manual processes: time-consuming and error-prone
At Rutronik’s Eisingen logistics centre, 48 workstations are dedicated solely to incoming goods. With over 100,000 electronic components and constantly changing packaging formats, manual inspection and documentation previously required significant time and staff resources. Errors in data entry, inconsistent label reading, and missing metadata (e.g. country of origin, lot numbers) led to discrepancies in stock, impaired traceability, and increased audit risks.
Goal: automation, accuracy, and systems integration
To address these inefficiencies, Rutronik aimed to fully automate goods receiving while seamlessly integrating high-quality data into its digital logistics systems. The primary goals: reduce processing time per item, improve accuracy, increase scalability, and future-proof the operation for further digitalisation.
Solution: intelligent camera-based system with real-time AI
COMI’s system integrates industrial cameras with advanced, trainable AI models and a flexible front-end interface. Unlike conventional OCR or scanner solutions, the AI can recognise and extract information from differently sized, shaped, or placed labels – even when partially damaged or rotated. Using parallel recognition capabilities, multiple labels from various packages can be processed in a single scan, allowing workers to handle larger volumes with less effort.
Information such as serial numbers, quantities, manufacturer details, and production codes are parsed, validated, and directly transferred to Rutronik’s ERP and WMS systems. This ensures real-time availability of consistent, structured data across the supply chain. An intuitive visual interface allows immediate on-screen verification, reducing the risk of undetected misreads.
Training with synthetic data and robust performance
One of the key innovations behind the system’s rapid deployment was the use of synthetic data. COMI trained the AI using CAD-generated scenarios, simulating thousands of potential real-world label and package configurations. This approach minimised the need for time consuming on-site data collection and drastically shortened the system’s ramp-up period.
The system remains highly robust under variable lighting conditions and is tolerant of common warehouse challenges such as dust, glare, or label wear. Software updates and retraining capabilities ensure that the system can evolve alongside changing operational requirements.
Impact: higher throughput, fewer errors, and employee support
Since implementation, average inspection times have dropped by more than 50%, while error rates have significantly decreased. Employees now spend less time on repetitive, manual tasks and can focus on exception handling and process improvement. This shift supports employee satisfaction and opens up new roles in data supervision and AI supported logistics planning.
The structured collection and storage of all relevant product information enables seamless traceability, which is increasingly demanded by industries with regulatory requirements such as automotive, medical devices, and aerospace. The system also generates audit-ready documentation for each shipment, contributing to overall process compliance.
Scalability and future readiness
The success of the AI solution in goods receiving is only the beginning. Thanks to its modular architecture, the system can be extended to adjacent logistics processes such as goods issue, quality checks, or internal transfers. It serves as a blueprint for companies looking to digitally transform their supply chains without replacing existing IT infrastructure.
Rutronik and COMI
Since October 2024, Rutronik has held a 30% stake in COMI (collective mind), an expert in machine vision applications in the AI environment. The companies are thus combining their strengths in component distribution with automated image processing to offer internationally scalable and developed software and hardware solutions for AI applications in retail and industry, among others, from a single source.
This article originally appeared in the Sept/Oct issue of Procurement Pro.
