Innovation in Motion: From Student to Engineer in AI-Powered Manufacturing
- Dee Antenor
- Sep 5
- 4 min read
Cambridge, ON – Engineering is an ever-evolving field that thrives on innovative ideas and diverse perspectives. Students and new grads are a valuable asset to established teams who are bringing novel technologies to life. Ascension Automation has long been committed to supporting educational excellence by building strong partnerships with universities and colleges while helping bridge the gap between formal learning and industry experience. This vision is already coming to life together with McMaster University, where we’re using AI-powered vision systems to transform industrial inspection processes.
Our collaboration with McMaster University’s Master of Engineering Systems and Technology (MEST) program led to a valuable capstone project focused on computer vision in manufacturing. At the center of this work was Saber Yu, who joined Ascension in 2024 while pursuing his master’s degree, gaining hands-on experience that would eventually lead to a full-time role. His journey reflects the power of university-industry collaboration in shaping real career opportunities.
Saber contributed to the development and deployment of a custom AI solution for detecting defects in thermal-acoustic shielding—a critical yet often overlooked automotive component. Now working as a full-time Junior Computer Vision Engineer, his journey reflects the impact of a collective effort between industry and academia.
“During my M.Eng., I got exposure to both robotics and AI. That’s what led me to this role at Ascension, working on AI vision for industrial applications.” Yu said.
A Smarter Approach to Inspection
While robotics originally drew him in, Yu’s passion shifted towards computer vision and machine learning.
“I got into the world of AI, robotics, and automation when I was working as a manufacturing engineer,” he explains. “Once I experienced working with these technologies, I instantly knew this is the field of the future and I wanted to be part of it.”
That curiosity quickly turned into opportunity when Saber joined a high-impact defect detection project during his time in the MEST program. What started as a student capstone project quickly became a career-defining moment.
Traditional inspection methods rely on manual effort and operator judgment, which makes consistency difficult at scale. In response, Ascension designed and deployed a computer vision solution tailored to customer’s operational needs, combining cutting-edge AI with operator-focused usability.
“Heat shields isolate noise, vibration, and heat in high-stress zones like the engine or turbocharger,” explains Yu. “They prevent surrounding components from overheating, so their integrity is essential to both safety and performance.”
The solution uses labeled image datasets to train vision AI models capable of detecting subtle manufacturing defects. Unlike generative AIs that process language, these systems are trained specifically for visual data analysis in demanding industrial settings. To improve the model’s performance, Saber worked on an advanced augmentation pipeline that boosted detection accuracy measured in mean average precision (mAP).”
Seamless Human-AI Collaboration
Saber emphasizes that the AI model is not designed to replace workers—it’s meant to support them. The system highlights potential defects and assists operators with real-time decision-making. Beyond inspection, the platform also allows users to log shift data, track downtime events, and monitor key production metrics. It automatically calculates Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), combining Availability, Performance, and Quality metrics into a clear dashboard view.
“We’re already exploring more advanced defect categorization and real-time predictive analytics,” Yu says. “The goal is to move from reactive quality control to predictive, intelligent manufacturing.”
Now in a full-time role, Saber continues to explore a wide range of technical areas and industries.
“I like what I am doing now as it excites and motivates me,” he says. “We get to work on very different projects here—automation, 2D/3D computer vision, software development, AI, data infrastructure—and across industries like automotive, agriculture, nuclear, and buildings. That diversity is what I love the most.”
He also credits much of the success to the team around him: “I have a great team here at Ascension. We support each other and work together effectively through every project. We work with the latest technologies and apply them to real-world problems. That’s incredibly rewarding.”
When asked what advice he’d give to future engineers, Saber offers a refreshingly honest take: “I hold a very different perspective, so I think other engineers should take my advice with a grain of salt. While most people try to strike a work-life balance, I find excitement and motivation from my work—it’s what keeps me going.”
“My advice from this perspective is this: Try to find work that you enjoy doing. Keep doing it, get better at it, and do it better.”
Saber Yu represents a new generation of engineers who are transforming the future of manufacturing—not just by making it faster, but by making it smarter, adaptable, and more focused on people. Saber’s story shows that real innovation is sparked through teamwork and shared vision.
As Ascension continues to grow, we remain committed to supporting the next generation of engineers and building meaningful connections with institutions like McMaster. Empowering students to apply their learning in the real-world builds a foundation for lasting change that drives progress, moves the economy forward, and strengthens the industry.