Strobe Surface Inspection With Angled Flash Image Merging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current visual inspection methods relying on human operators are inconsistent and prone to missing surface anomalies due to factors like inadequate lighting, angle of incidence, and human fatigue, which can lead to costly rework and safety issues.
Innovation Solution
A surface inspection system utilizing a strobe light system and image capture system that emits synchronized flashes at controlled angles of incidence, capturing flash-only illuminated images to create inspectable images that highlight inconsistencies, thereby overcoming human limitations and ambient lighting issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If human operators perform visual inspection with handheld light, then inspection can be conducted with simple equipment, but inspection consistency and reliability deteriorate due to human fatigue and inadequate lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical handheld lighting system with an automated optical illumination system consisting of synchronized strobe lights and image capture devices. This substitution eliminates human variability in lighting control and inspection observation, thereby improving inspection consistency while maintaining equipment accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic flashing lights (strobe lights) that emit light in synchronized intervals with the image capture system. This periodic illumination action ensures consistent lighting conditions for each inspection cycle, eliminating the inadequate and variable lighting conditions experienced with handheld lights, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity
2Use of energy by moving object
If ambient light is used for surface inspection, then energy consumption is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates due to insufficient directional detail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the illumination function from ambient light by implementing a dedicated synchronized flash illumination system. This extracted lighting system provides controlled directional light at specific angles of incidence, enhancing the directional detail needed for surface anomaly detection while maintaining energy efficiency through precise temporal synchronization that captures only flash-illuminated portions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies localized directional illumination by positioning strobe lights to emit light at specific angles of incidence (e.g., 45 degrees) relative to the surface being inspected. This localized quality of light enhances the visibility of surface anomalies in specific areas, improving measurement precision without requiring high energy consumption across the entire inspection area
3Measurement precision
If multiple images are captured and combined to form inspectable image, then detection accuracy is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by capturing multiple images with different lighting conditions (e.g., different angles of incidence) before the inspection process begins. These pre-captured images are then combined to form a comprehensive inspectable image that highlights surface anomalies from multiple perspectives, improving detection accuracy without adding significant processing time during actual inspection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple flash-illuminated images captured at different angles of incidence into a single composite inspectable image. This merging process combines the directional detail from each angle to enhance anomaly visibility while using efficient image processing algorithms to minimize the time required for combination, thereby improving detection accuracy with acceptable processing time
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 system consistently detects surface anomalies with improved directional detail, reducing the likelihood of missed defects and subsequent rework, and enhancing inspection accuracy and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a first number of the set of synchronized flashes are emitted from the strobe light system in a first direction at the set of angles of incidence relative to the surface
Data Source
AI summary
A method, an apparatus, and a system for inspecting a surface. An image capture system adjusts at least one of an aperture or a shutter speed to result in capturing a black image when an image of a surface is captured with the surface illuminated only by an ambient light.The image capture system captures an incident angled flash illuminated image of the surface to create a first image. The image capture system captures an opposed incident angled flash illuminated image of the surface to create a second image. The first image and the second image are combined to form an inspectable image with a width of at least one frame pitch. The inspectable image is inspected.