Next-Level Quality in Precast Production

Published in Inside Construction (Issue 21: Dec/Jan 2026)

In precast, every millimetre counts. Sunset Sleepers has moved beyond the limits of manual checks, bringing new precision to quality control.

National Precast member Sunset Sleepers is piloting an artificial intelligence (AI) inspection system in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology and supported by grant funding from the Australian Government through the SmartCrete Cooperative Research Centre the project has the potential to redefine how the precast sector approaches quality assurance.

Like many practical businesses, Sunset Sleepers once relied on manual inspection of every unit and while thorough, the process was both time-consuming and vulnerable to human error. As demand for high-quality sleepers grew, the company recognised that its inspection regime needed a digital overhaul. The answer lay in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and machine learning. The new system autonomously scans each sleeper as it comes off the line, detecting cracks, chips or inconsistencies in real time. Instead of subjective human judgement, the AI model applies the same standard to every product, every time.

FULL ARTICLE IN INSIDE CONSTRUCTION