Minimizing production cost using MATLAB and Machine Learning

We present a predictive manufacturing solution to reduce manufacturing scrap in their optical manufacturing process. The ingredients here are MATLAB^®, Machine Learning and a new piece of automation tech—Robotic Process Automation (software bots). To understand how this ballet of tech creates tangible impact on the company's bottom line, here's a primer on optical fibre manufacturing. STL uses a process called RIC (Rod in Cylinder) to manufacture an optical fibre product from their portfolio. Basically, you put a no. of glass rods (higher refractive index) in a big glass cylinder (lower refractive index) and fuse them together to get a larger glass cylinder called preform. After that you load this preform on top a multi-storey building called draw tower and melt the bottom part in a furnace. What happens is the glass material starts dripping through a very controlled process, you get a very thin strand of optical fibre.