The detection of defects on the copper chain in the production process of tobacco cutters is crucial for ensuring product quality. Traditional defect detection methods often rely on spatial domain image analysis, which not only has a large computational load but also performs poorly in handling high-frequency noise and complex backgrounds. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel neural network model based on frequency domain analysis, called Frequency Domain Attention Network (FDANet). This network first utilizes Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) to transform the image from the spatial domain to the frequency domain, effectively reducing computational complexity and improving processing speed. Subsequently, through the innovative Frequency Domain Attention Module (FDAM), the network automatically identifies and enhances key discriminative features in the frequency domain, thereby strengthening the model’s ability to identify defects. Finally, the frequency domain attention map, after feature extraction and integration, is inputted into the coupling detection head to achieve high-precision defect detection. Experimental results demonstrate that FDANet performs excellently in the task of detecting copper chain defects in tobacco cutters, showing significant improvement compared to traditional methods and verifying the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed approach.