A Canada–Germany Alliance Accelerating AI Defect Detection for Advanced Manufacturing

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Canada – Germany — January 14, 2026 — Synode, Fraunhofer IOSB-INA, and Sightwise GmbH are pleased to announce the launch of ADDIAL, a new international R&D collaboration focused on developing next-generation AI solutions for defect detection in advanced manufacturing.

The ADDIAL project is carried out under a bilateral Canada–Germany innovation framework, supported by NRC IRAP in Canada and the ZIM program in Germany. The initiative strengthens industrial collaboration between the two countries and accelerates the development of high-impact manufacturing technologies.

ADDIAL brings together complementary expertise in software, artificial intelligence, and industrial automation. The consortium will develop an intelligent application that supports quality assurance across step-by-step manufacturing processes, from work instructions and production operations to advanced manufacturing techniques, including additive manufacturing. By combining AI-powered analysis with contextual 3D visualization, the project aims to help manufacturers detect issues earlier, reduce rework, and improve overall production performance.

“We’re pleased to work with partners like Fraunhofer IOSB-INA and Sightwise toautomate some of the most tedious quality-control tasks in manufacturing by combining our strengths,” said Taki Eddine Alimat, co-founder and CEO of Synode. “Our shared goal is to help manufacturers focus less on manual checks and more on building reliable products, with quality built into every step of the process.”

“This partnership reflects the collaborative spirit essential for advancing smart manufacturing” said Dr. Sahar Deppe, Fraunhofer IOSB-INA. “We look forward to contributing our expertise in industrial systems and applied research.”

“Sightwise is proud to join this international effort to push the boundaries of AI-enabled quality assurance” said Dr. Kolja Hedrich, Head of Product, Sightwise GmbH. “By integrating AI-driven inspection into the production workflow, we are helping shape the future of quality assurance in additive manufacturing.”

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About Synode

Synode is a Canadian company focused on building an enterprise 3D platform that helps manufacturers create, manage, and deploy 3D product experiences at scale. It uses a central 3D digital asset foundation to power multiple applications - from product configurators and augmented reality to work and training instructions - allowing companies to reuse and publish 3D content consistently across different use cases

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About Fraunhofer IOSB-INA

Fraunhofer IOSB-INA is a leading applied research institution focusing on intelligent automation, industrial information technology, and digital transformation. Its core competencies include intelligent networking, analysis and monitoring of technical systems, and user-oriented system design for industrial automation and cyber-physical production systems. The institute collaborates with industry partners and academic institutions to support digital transformation through applied research and real-world laboratories such as SmartFactoryOWL and Lemgo Digital.

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About Sightwise

Sightwise is a German technology company developing AI-based visual inspection solutions for industrial applications. By leveraging synthetic data, its software addresses core limitations of conventional AI development and enables automated defect detection and assembly verification with high robustness and scalability in complex production environments.