Modular Inspection Architecture Using a Digital Clone for Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial inspection systems are rigid and inflexible, requiring dedicated designs and high costs for reconfiguration, with limited ability to adapt to different products and defect detection, especially in unique or unpredictable conditions, leading to inefficient defect identification and high setup times.
Innovation Solution
A modular inspection apparatus and method utilizing a 'digital clone' of the inspection system, where a simulation engine models the real inspection apparatus in a virtual environment, allowing for optimization of camera and light configurations to maximize defect detection, enabling flexible adaptation to various products and conditions without physical prototypes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional dedicated inspection systems are used, then defect detection accuracy is improved, but adaptability to different products deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital clone (virtual copy) of the inspection system including cameras, illuminators, and the inspected object. This digital replica allows simulation and optimization of inspection parameters without affecting the physical system, enabling rapid adaptation to different products while maintaining detection accuracy through virtual testing and parameter optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes inspection parameters (camera positions, lighting angles, acquisition settings) by simulating their effects on defect detection in the digital clone. This allows systematic exploration of parameter space to find optimal configurations for each specific product and defect type, balancing detection accuracy with adaptability.
2Reliability
If physical prototypes and trial setups are used, then inspection system optimization is improved, but setup time deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary optimization of inspection parameters through simulation in the digital clone before physical implementation. By pre-configuring and testing camera positions, lighting conditions, and acquisition parameters virtually, the system eliminates time-consuming physical trial-and-error setup while ensuring reliable inspection performance.
Solution Approach 2:
By working with a digital replica instead of physical prototypes during the optimization phase, the system achieves inspection system optimization without the time penalty of physical setup iterations. The digital clone allows rapid parameter changes and testing that would be cumbersome or impossible with physical equipment.
3Measurement precision
If custom inspection systems are designed for each product, then defect detection sensitivity is improved, but device complexity and cost deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal inspection platform with a digital clone capability that can be applied to multiple different products and inspection scenarios. The same physical inspection system can be optimized for different products through virtual simulation, eliminating the need for complex custom hardware designs while maintaining high defect detection sensitivity through parameter optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
Inspection of industrial products entails the “Model Based Design” paradigm with an apparatus associated with a digital clone of the real acquisition system. The digital clone reproduces in a virtual environment the features of said system and of the product affected by anomalies to be inspected.By generating virtual images of the product through simulations on said digital clone and processing virtual images through a vision system including a novel data fusion module, it is possible to define the optimal architecture and parameterization of the real acquisition system that maximize the likelihood of identifying anomalies in products even in conditions that are difficult or expensive to replicate in the real world.This reduces time in designing and set-up as well as costs of an inspection apparatus. Furthermore it enables to reconfigure the apparatus to products and/or anomalies other than those for which it was initially designed.