3D Printed Road Surface Calibration Artifacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring road surface luminance coefficients are costly, time-consuming, and lack reliability and traceability, especially for portable devices, leading to inaccurate assessments and energy inefficiencies in road lighting systems due to outdated data and compatibility issues with new road materials and lighting technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method and device using 3D printing to create reference materials with specific reflectance properties, allowing for reliable calibration of luminance measurement instruments, enabling accurate and portable measurements of road surface luminance and reduced luminance coefficients, and facilitating the adoption of new lighting solutions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional measurement devices and methods are used for road surface luminance calibration, then measurement capability is provided, but the process becomes costly, time-consuming, and lacks reliability and traceability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified 3D-printed reference material that copies the essential optical properties (reflectance characteristics) of complex road surfaces. This copy can be manufactured quickly and used for calibration without requiring complex goniophotometer setups, thereby reducing calibration time while maintaining measurement reliability through traceable reflectance values.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and complexity of the reference material from complex road surface samples to simplified 3D-printed structures with controlled geometric parameters. By adjusting the 3D printing parameters (layer height, infill density, material composition), the reflectance properties can be precisely tuned to match target values, enabling rapid production of reliable calibration standards.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional road surface samples are used for calibration, then real-world representativeness is achieved, but manufacturing and replication become difficult and inconsistent
Solution Approach 1:
The 3D-printed reference material incorporates local variations in reflectance properties through controlled geometric features at different locations. Each printed structure can have specific surface characteristics (roughness, orientation, material composition) tailored to represent particular road surface conditions, while maintaining overall manufacturing consistency through digital modeling and automated printing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite 3D printing approaches combining different materials (polymers, metals, ceramics) and structures (porous vs. dense, smooth vs. rough) to achieve target reflectance values. This composite approach allows precise control over optical properties while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized printing procedures, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing ease and precision.
3Measurement precision
If outdated CIE table data is used for road lighting design, then design simplicity is maintained, but accuracy and energy efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurements and characterizations of road surface reflectance properties using the 3D-printed reference materials before actual road lighting design. This advance preparation creates accurate, up-to-date reflectance databases that can be directly applied to lighting calculations, improving luminance coefficient accuracy without requiring complex real-time measurements during the design process.
Solution Approach 2:
The 3D-printed reference material acts as an intermediary between complex road surfaces and measurement devices. It provides stable, traceable reflectance values that mediate the calibration process, enabling accurate luminance coefficient determination without requiring direct measurement on variable real-world road surfaces. This intermediary approach simplifies the data system while improving measurement precision.
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 updated and reliable data, improves traceability, reduces energy consumption, and enhances road safety by ensuring accurate luminance measurements, leading to more efficient and safer road lighting systems with potential energy savings of up to 70%.
Implementation Method 1
manufacturing, in particular by 3d printing, said pattern of prismoid-like formations separated by said channel like-formations onto a support base
Implementation Method 2
providing a tabular dataset of reflectance values, in particular normalized reflectance values, of road surfaces illuminated by a road luminaire emitting light impinging thereon at an observed point
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
A method (70) of manufacturing a device (100; 100'; 100") for use as reference material in calibrating an instrument to measure luminance of a road surface (12), the method (70) comprising: providing (700) a tabular dataset of reflectance values (r), in particular normalized reflectance values, of road surfaces illuminated by a road luminaire (10) emitting light impinging thereon at an observed point (P), the light propagating from the road luminaire (10), in particular from a photometric center (Q) of the road luminaire (10), along a light path (20) so as to determine, as seen from an observation point (O) at a given viewing direction angle α with respect to the road, in particular of 1°: i) a first incidence angle (ε) between the light path (20) and a normal (N) to the road surface (12); and j) a second incidence angle (β) between a vertical plane passing for the observation point (O) and the observed point (P) and a vertical plane passing for the observed point (P) and the road luminaire (10); selecting (710) a subset of reflectance values from said provided tabular dataset of reflectance values (r); setting (720), as a function of the selected reflectance values, geometric parameters of a pattern (120; 120') of prismoid-like formations (122, 124, 126, 128; 122', 124', 126', 128') separated therebetween by channel-like formations (123, 125, 127; 123', 125', 127'), wherein said geometric parameters of the prismoid-like formations (122, 124, 126, 128; 122', 124', 126', 128') are selected so that respective areas projected at said observation angle (α) have values proportional to the values of said subset of reflectance values selected from said provided tabular dataset of reflectance values (r); manufacturing (730), in particular by 3D printing, said pattern (120, 120') of prismoid-like formations (122, 124, 126, 128; 122', 124', 126', 128') separated by said channel like-formations (123, 125, 127; 123', 125', 127') onto a support base (110), in particular quadrangular, having a constant thickness (T0), in particular as a single piece.