Multi-Angle Illumination for Non-Uniform Surface Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inspecting printed products with non-uniform reflective surfaces is challenging due to the need for adjusting the angular position between the camera and illumination systems based on the surface's reflectivity, which complicates the inspection process and requires mechanical adjustments, especially in high-speed production environments.
Innovation Solution
An inspection system with a fixed angular position between the camera and illumination systems, where the illumination system is controlled electronically to adapt to different reflectivity, allowing for reliable and accurate inspection of printed products with non-uniform reflective surfaces without mechanical adjustments, using multiple light sources positioned at different angles to illuminate the surface effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the angular position between the camera and illumination systems is adjusted based on surface reflectivity, then the inspection quality for non-uniform reflective surfaces is improved, but the device complexity and operational complexity increase due to mechanical adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical adjustment of angular position with electronic control of the illumination system. Multiple light sources are positioned at fixed angular positions, and their individual activation is controlled electronically based on the surface reflectivity, eliminating the need for mechanical repositioning while maintaining inspection quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination system is divided into multiple independent light sources positioned at different angular positions. Each light source can be individually controlled to illuminate specific areas of the surface, allowing the system to adapt to non-uniform reflective surfaces without mechanical adjustment by selectively activating appropriate light sources.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical adjustments are made to adapt to different reflectivity, then the adaptability to various samples is improved, but the productivity decreases due to adjustment time in high-speed production environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts to different surface reflectivity characteristics through electronic control of light source activation during the inspection process. The control unit selectively activates appropriate light sources based on real-time detection of surface properties, enabling continuous high-speed inspection without interruption for mechanical repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple light sources are pre-positioned at different angular positions during system setup. This preliminary arrangement allows the system to immediately adapt to various surface reflectivity types by simply activating the appropriate pre-positioned light sources, eliminating the need for time-consuming mechanical adjustments during production.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple light sources are used to illuminate different areas, then the adaptability to non-uniform reflective surfaces is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different light sources are positioned at specific angular positions to illuminate different areas of the surface with appropriate characteristics. Each light source provides localized illumination optimized for specific surface regions, allowing the system to handle non-uniform reflective surfaces by selecting appropriate local illumination conditions without requiring complex reconfiguration.
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
Enables reliable and accurate inspection of printed products with non-uniform reflective surfaces in real-time during production, maintaining high inspection quality without mechanical adjustments, facilitating inline inspection in printing presses and improving the adaptability to various samples.
Implementation Method 1
an optical unit (02) for registering the light which has been reflected from a surface (09) to be inspected
Implementation Method 2
Each of the light sources (07; 08) emits light in a recording area (11) for the optical unit (02), which recording area is on the surface (09) to be inspected, with each light source emitting its light at a respective angle of incidence that is different from the others
Data Source
AI summary
A device that is usable to inspect the surface of a material uses an inspection system which includes an optical unit. That optical unit can register the light which is reflected by the surface to be inspected. An illumination system, that uses at least two light sources, provides the light. The optical unit and the illumination system are connected to a control unit. The at least two light sources are arranged spaced at a distance from each other and both emit light directed to a recording region of the optical unit. The optical unit is oriented toward the surface to be inspected and at least one of the illumination light sources can be subdivided into several individual light sources. The control unit controls at least two of the illumination system light sources that are arranged at a distance from each other or the respective individual light sources of at least one of the illumination sources both selectively and independently of each other. The recording region of the optical unit lies on a displacement plane of the surface to be inspected with that surface being displaced through the recording region in relation to the inspection system. The distance between the light sources of the illumination system extends in the displacement direction of the surface to be inspected. The individual light sources of at least one of the sources are arranged transversely to the displacement direction of the surface to be inspected.