Critical Manufacturing acquires Convanit to expand image-based analytics
Critical Manufacturing, a subsidiary of ASMPT based in Porto, Portugal, has announced the acquisition of Convanit, an AI specialist focused on image-based analytics for high-tech manufacturing headquartered in Dresden, Germany. The acquisition marks a significant step in expanding the capabilities of the Critical Manufacturing Data Platform, enabling customers to harness the power of visual AI to drive greater precision, automation, and insight.
With its flagship solution c-Alice, Convanit offers a powerful image classification engine built for complex industrial environments. The solution allows manufacturers to swiftly build and deploy custom AI models for visual inspection without the need for specialised programming or data science skills. Previously manual, time-consuming inspection can now be performed faster, with improved accuracy and quality assurance.
“Manufacturers face growing pressure to deliver higher quality, faster, and ensure complete traceability, yet visual data remains one of the most underused assets on the shop floor,” said Francisco Almada Lobo, CEO of Critical Manufacturing. “By integrating Convanit’s advanced AI-powered image analytics into our platform, we are transforming how customers convert unstructured image data into actionable, contextualised intelligence. This acquisition is a key milestone in our vision for truly data driven, Industry 4.0 manufacturing.”
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The integration of c-Alice is intended to allow manufacturers using the Critical Manufacturing Data Platform to seamlessly ingest, classify, and analyse image data in conjunction with real-time process data; automate defect detection and trigger real-time anomaly alerts across production stages; connect image insights directly to MES workflows, traceability records, and quality reporting; and deploy scalable AI models with low latency for continuous in-line operations.
Convanit’s intuitive interface supports a wide range of users including quality engineers and process specialists with no need for advanced coding skills. This accessibility helps scale AI adoption across production teams, enabling “citizen data scientists” to take ownership of model development and refinement.
Michael Meinel, co-founder of Convanit, shared, “We created c-Alice to make visual AI simple, flexible, and effective for manufacturers. Joining Critical Manufacturing brings our vision to a global stage, embedding it into one of the most powerful MES ecosystems on the market.”
The acquisition further reinforces Critical Manufacturing’s commitment to innovation in high-precision sectors, including semiconductors, electronics, medical devices, and industrial equipment industries, where traceability, quality, and responsiveness are business-critical.
