A flexible endoscopic structured light 3-D sensor

Viac o knihe

Dimensional metrology plays a crucial role in quality control within manufacturing and maintenance. As machine parts become increasingly miniaturized, traditional tactile and optical sensors face limitations due to space constraints. To address the demand for dimensional measurements in tight spaces, a new 3-D sensor is introduced, combining structured light measurement principles with endoscopy techniques. This innovative sensor utilizes two high-resolution flexible imaging fiber bundles that connect interchangeable compact sensor heads to a camera and a programmable pattern projector. By using application-specific sensor heads, the device can perform various measurement and inspection tasks. The optical and geometrical properties of the sensor are evaluated, along with an automated calibration approach. To minimize artifacts caused by the unique optical characteristics of the imaging fibers, new compensation techniques for structured light measurements are developed. Tests on reference objects reveal relative length errors of less than 1%, and the sensor achieves a full-field 3-D measurement rate exceeding 160 Hz. An example application demonstrates stitched measurements of micro-geometries through continuous hand-guided sensor head movement. The results confirm the effectiveness of the adapted models and algorithms in mitigating measurement deviations due to fiber bundle image quality, showcasing the sensor's versatility an