Laser triangulation technique for textured surface shape analysis in industrial applications

Fernando D. Carvalho; Roger Davies; Joao Dinis; C. A. O. Malta; Antonio S. Guedes; J. F. Silva

doi:10.1117/12.189084

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13 October 1994 Laser triangulation technique for textured surface shape analysis in industrial applications

Fernando D. Carvalho; Roger Davies; Joao Dinis; C. A. O. Malta; Antonio S. Guedes; J. F. Silva

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Proceedings Volume 2354, Intelligent Robots and Computer Vision XIII: 3D Vision, Product Inspection, and Active Vision; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.189084
Event: Photonics for Industrial Applications, 1994, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

This paper describes a laser triangulation system that has been developed by the authors and integrated into a machine that manufactures cork stoppers automatically. The system is based on a solid state laser that projects a set of parallel lines onto the surface of the raw cork material. The three-dimensional shape of the surface is extracted through the analysis of an image obtained from a standard monochrome video camera of the lines of laser light. Special algorithms were developed to overcome image degradation caused by the uneven illumination intensity of the laser lines and by irregularities and roughness of the surface itself. The complete vision system incorporating this development is presented. It is responsible for the inspection of the cork surface, detection of relevant defects and the generation of a punching pattern to produce the stoppers. This pattern is then transmitted to the punch mechanism. The machine allows objective quality control constraints to be applied and decreases the amount of waste produced when compared with the manual method of producing cork stoppers. A fully functioning prototype of the machine has been built and successfully tested and other applications for the laser triangulation system technique are being considered.

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Fernando D. Carvalho, Roger Davies, Joao Dinis, C. A. O. Malta, Antonio S. Guedes, and J. F. Silva "Laser triangulation technique for textured surface shape analysis in industrial applications", Proc. SPIE 2354, Intelligent Robots and Computer Vision XIII: 3D Vision, Product Inspection, and Active Vision, (13 October 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.189084

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