Live 3D Point Cloud Stitching for Manufacturing Metrology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inspecting larger components during manufacturing is time-consuming and labor-intensive, leading to inefficiencies and quality defects, with existing methods failing to detect defects early in the production cycle and lacking automation capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for live metrology using a plurality of sensors to collect 3-D point cloud data, stitching the data together to generate a reconstructed model of the object, and comparing it to a designed model to determine manufacturing tolerance, employing a resolution adaptive mesh for accurate representation and real-time analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional inspection methods are used for larger components during manufacturing, then measurement accuracy can be maintained, but inspection time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system divides the component into multiple regions of interest and uses multiple sensors to simultaneously capture different sections. The component surface is segmented into multiple point clouds that are processed in parallel, allowing comprehensive inspection without sequential scanning of the entire component, thus reducing inspection time while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional 2D imaging to 3D point cloud data acquisition using multiple sensors positioned at different angles and distances. This dimensional enhancement allows simultaneous capture of comprehensive geometric information from multiple perspectives, enabling faster inspection without sacrificing measurement precision through spatial redundancy.
2Loss of information
If multiple sensors are used to capture comprehensive 3-D data, then measurement completeness improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a central processing unit as an intermediary that receives data from multiple sensors, performs coordinate transformations, and merges point clouds into a unified 3D model. This intermediary component manages the complexity of coordinating multiple sensors and processing their outputs, allowing the system to achieve complete measurement data while keeping the overall system architecture manageable through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing unit is designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle various sensor types, perform multiple operations (coordinate transformation, point cloud merging, defect detection), and support different component geometries. This universal design reduces system complexity by using a single versatile platform rather than specialized components for each function.
3Speed
If real-time processing is implemented for live metrology, then defect detection speed improves, but computational requirements and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining regions of interest, pre-configuring sensor positions, and pre-establishing processing pipelines before actual inspection begins. Coordinate systems are pre-calibrated and transformation parameters are pre-computed, allowing real-time processing to focus only on the core task of comparing captured data against design specifications, thus achieving fast defect detection without excessive processing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for live metrology of an object includes performing a scanning operation by a plurality of sensors to collect electronic images of an object. The electronic images include 3-D point cloud data for live metrology of the object and the point cloud data from each sensor define a point cloud that represents the object. The method also includes stitching the point clouds from the plurality of sensors to generate a reconstructed model of an as-manufactured object. The method further includes comparing the reconstructed model of the as-manufactured object to an as-designed model of the object to determine that the object is manufactured within an allowable tolerance to the as-designed model of the object.