SERES deploys IBM's scalable AI inspection solution to improve quality inspections and operational efficiency.
Founded in 1986, SERES is a leading Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer whose business spans vehicle R&D, manufacturing, sales and service. As competition intensified across the automotive industry and vehicle designs evolved faster than ever, SERES faced a growing challenge: how could it maintain high-quality production standards while keeping pace with rapid product innovation?
Traditional visual inspection systems struggled to keep up. Each new vehicle model or component variation required customized inspection models developed by external suppliers, creating high costs, limited reusability and slower response times. As production lines expanded and model iterations accelerated, SERES needed a different approach to reduce dependency on vendors. Without change, inspection processes risked becoming a bottleneck to efficiency, scalability and competitiveness.
Beginning in 2024, SERES collaborated with IBM to create a unified AI visual inspection platform based on IBM Maximo® Visual Inspection (MVI). Rather than relying on traditional supplier-led customization, IBM enabled SERES engineers to build, train and deploy AI models for inspections.”
IBM Maximo Visual Inspection (MVI) is a no-code AI vision solution that simplifies model creation while improving accuracy and scalability. The solution enabled SERES to reuse existing cameras and mobile devices, reducing hardware investment and preserving existing infrastructure. MVI also integrated seamlessly with current inspection environments, allowing AI capabilities to be introduced without disrupting production operations.
With MVI, IBM helped transform visual inspection from a supplier-dependent process into a scalable in-house capability. SERES employees gained the ability to label data, train models and deploy new inspection scenarios independently , enabling AI-powered visual inspection across multiple production environments.
With IBM Maximo Visual Inspection, SERES established a new model for intelligent quality inspection that combines operational efficiency with continuous innovation. The platform has been deployed across three intelligent factories, including the company’s flagship “super factory” in Chongqing, supporting hundreds of inspection scenarios throughout the manufacturing process.
SERES has already developed and deployed more than 115 AI-powered inspection models covering multiple vehicle production stages. The company achieved a 60% reduction in model development and deployment costs while significantly improving testing efficiency and responsiveness to changing production requirements.
Beyond operational gains, the initiative has enabled SERES to build internal AI expertise and accelerate the large-scale adoption of artificial intelligence across manufacturing operations. Engineers can now rapidly create and adapt inspection models as vehicle designs evolve, reducing reliance on external vendors and supporting faster innovation cycles.
Looking ahead, SERES plans to expand AI visual inspection into additional factories, production lines and business processes. As a trusted technology partner, IBM will continue supporting SERES as it explores new AI-powered use cases, strengthens its intelligent manufacturing capabilities and advances its vision for scalable, AI-driven automotive production.
Founded in 1986, SERES is an automotive technology company that specializes in new energy vehicles. Now publicly listed on both the A-share and H-share markets, employs over 20,000 people, and ranks among China’s top 500 enterprises.
We focus on research and development, production, sales, and servicing of new energy vehicles and their critical components, like powertrains, batteries, and electric motors.
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