Surface Inspection with Selectable Laser Line Widths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser triangulation systems for surface inspection face challenges such as slowed measurement procedures and reduced accuracy when measuring small surface features due to the need for smaller spot sizes or narrower laser line widths, which increase the number of points to be analyzed.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a selectable laser spot size or laser line width that can cover a larger area of the surface under test, allowing for increased scanning speed and improved measurement throughput. This is achieved by using multiple lasers with varying linewidths and aligning a sensor matrix to collect light reflections from surface features as they move through the interrogating beam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the laser spot size or laser line width is minimized to improve spatial resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to slower measurement procedures and increased number of points to be analyzed
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the laser line width based on the measurement requirements and surface feature characteristics. The controller can select from multiple pre-configured laser line widths (e.g., narrow, medium, wide) to optimize the balance between spatial resolution and measurement speed for different inspection scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of laser line width to resolve the contradiction. By providing multiple laser sources with different line widths or dynamically adjusting the laser line width, the system can switch between narrow lines for high precision measurements and wide lines for faster scanning, thereby adapting to different productivity and precision requirements.
2Measurement precision
If the laser spot size or laser line width is minimized to improve spatial resolution, then measurement precision is improved, but the number of points to be analyzed increases, worsening device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the laser line width based on the measurement requirements and surface feature characteristics. The controller can select from multiple pre-configured laser line widths (e.g., narrow, medium, wide) to optimize the balance between spatial resolution and measurement speed for different inspection scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of laser line width to resolve the contradiction. By providing multiple laser sources with different line widths or dynamically adjusting the laser line width, the system can switch between narrow lines for high precision measurements and wide lines for faster scanning, thereby adapting to different productivity and precision requirements.
3Measurement precision
If a smaller laser spot size is used to measure small surface features, then measurement precision is improved, but measurement speed decreases due to transitional periods as the laser line moves up and down side surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the laser line width based on the measurement requirements and surface feature characteristics. The controller can select from multiple pre-configured laser line widths (e.g., narrow, medium, wide) to optimize the balance between spatial resolution and measurement speed for different inspection scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameter of laser line width to resolve the contradiction. By providing multiple laser sources with different line widths or dynamically adjusting the laser line width, the system can switch between narrow lines for high precision measurements and wide lines for faster scanning, thereby adapting to different productivity and precision requirements.
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
The solution enables faster measurement procedures and improved accuracy in analyzing small surface features by reducing the number of images needed to cover a given physical space, thus enhancing the overall measurement throughput of the surface inspection system.
Implementation Method 1
Conventional surface inspection systems, often referred to as profile sensors, use a laser triangulation principle for three-dimensional profile detection on surfaces under test
Implementation Method 2
Diffuse or specular reflections from surface feature are directed onto a sensor matrix in a camera
Data Source
AI summary
A surface inspection system can be provided with a laser spot size or a laser line width that is selectable based on a measurable aspect of the objects under test that project upward or downward from a surface under test. The larger laser spot size or line width can be selected to cover a larger area of the surface under test at a time, which can increase scanning speed over the surface under test and enhance system measurement throughput.