Flexible Material Defect Repositioning by Contour Image Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The repositioning of defects in flexible materials like leather or natural skins is challenging due to non-homogeneous deformations caused by storage conditions, handling variations, and differences in digitization environments, leading to inaccuracies and inefficiencies in cutting methods.
Innovation Solution
An automatic method for positioning defects using digital image superimposition, rotation, and geometric transformations to minimize non-overlapping surface areas, allowing precise repositioning without hardware modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual repositioning of skin on cutting machine is performed, then defects can be repositioned, but positioning accuracy deteriorates due to skin deformation and operator difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical repositioning operations with an automated digital image processing system. The system captures images of the skin on the cutting machine, automatically detects defects using image processing algorithms, and calculates precise defect positions without requiring operator intervention. This substitution eliminates positioning errors caused by manual handling and skin deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy of the skin surface by capturing an image of the skin positioned on the cutting machine. This digital image serves as a replica that can be processed computationally to identify and locate defects. The defect positions extracted from this digital copy are then used to guide the cutting process, eliminating the need for physical repositioning and ensuring accurate defect location.
2Ease of manufacture
If online cutting method is used, then process simplicity and responsiveness are improved, but synchronization and balancing of steps become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical synchronization mechanisms with a digital image processing and calculation system. By capturing an image of the skin already positioned on the cutting machine and using automated algorithms to detect and locate defects, the system eliminates the need for complex synchronization between digitizing and cutting operations. The digital processing occurs independently and rapidly, simplifying the overall process coordination.
3Measurement precision
If multiple digitization steps are performed, then defect positioning can be achieved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous processing by capturing the skin image directly in its positioned state on the cutting machine, eliminating interruptions for repositioning or multiple digitization passes. The automated defect detection and position calculation algorithms process the captured image rapidly and continuously, maintaining productive flow while achieving accurate defect localization without time-consuming manual intervention or multiple processing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes obtaining an image of the contour of the coupon in its initial state and the position of the defects, after repositioning the coupon in a state ready for cutting; obtaining a new image of the contour of the coupon; superimposing the two images; determining a rotation value to be applied to one of the two contours to minimize the total surface area of the zones that do not overlap; applying the rotation value to the position of each defect in the image of the coupon in its initial state to pre-position each defect; determining geometric transformations to locally minimize the surface area of the zones of the two contours that do not intersect; and applying to the position of each pre-positioned defect based on its position inside the contour to accurately reposition it inside the image of the coupon in its state ready for cutting.