Edge Feature Measurement Using a 3D Reference Plane
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video inspection devices, such as borescopes, struggle with inaccurate measurements near the edges of industrial assets like jet engine blades due to noise, artifacts, and difficulties in determining 3D coordinates, especially on shiny or curved surfaces, leading to incorrect assessments of damage and potential engine safety.
Innovation Solution
A method using a reference plane to project measurement cursors onto, which determines a reference line and computes distances based on projected points, reducing the impact of noise and artifacts while maintaining simplicity and accuracy, even on curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If measurement is performed directly on curved surfaces near edges using traditional 3D coordinate determination, then measurement coverage is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to noise and artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the measurement problem from 3D curved surface coordinates to 2D planar coordinates by projecting measurement points onto a reference plane. This dimensionality reduction eliminates the complexity of curved surface measurements near edges, removing noise and artifacts that plague 3D edge measurements while preserving accurate distance measurements through orthogonal projection.
2Measurement precision
If user positions measurement plane cursors on curved surfaces, then measurement flexibility is maintained, but measurement precision deteriorates due to difficulty in accurate cursor placement
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the reference plane and projects measurement points onto it without requiring users to manually position cursors on curved surfaces. The automated plane determination and projection process eliminates the difficulty of accurate cursor placement on complex geometries while maintaining measurement precision through algorithmic calculation of orthogonal projections.
3Measurement precision
If traditional 3D coordinate determination is used on shiny surfaces, then measurement coverage is achieved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to optical reflections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the measurement problem from the problematic 3D curved surface environment and relocates it to a 2D reference plane environment. By projecting measurement points onto a flat reference plane and performing measurements in this simplified space, the system eliminates the influence of optical reflections from shiny surfaces that cause inaccuracies in traditional 3D coordinate determination.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides accurate measurements of features near the edge of objects by minimizing measurement errors caused by noise and artifacts, ensuring reliable assessment of damage and improving decision-making on asset serviceability.
Implementation Method 1
An image is sensor configured to generate two-dimensional image data based on light reflected from a surface of an object
Data Source
AI summary
A method for measuring a feature near the edge of an object comprising receiving image data characterizing the object, identifying an edge of the object, identifying a point on the perimeter of the feature at a position opposite the edge of the object, determining a reference plane, determining a three-dimensional reference line on the reference plane associated with the edge of the object, determining a three-dimensional measurement point on the reference plane based on the point on the perimeter of the feature, and determining the perpendicular distance from the measurement point to the reference line.