Application: Gauging

Inspection Challenge:

A manufacturer wanted an automated system to gauge two sections on the samples set.

Measure and Access:

• The first gauge on the top left-hand side.
• The second gauge on the left hand-side.
  

Machine Vision Solution:

The following DT Vision Foundry tools were added to the Point and Click Script to solve this inspection challenge:

• Picture Tool – This takes pictures of the product to be analyzed. These images will be live.
• Search Tool – The Search Tool will be used to locate a reference point each time an image is captured. This will be set to a given area, which has been applied by the operator.
• Position – Four position tools have been used on this application. Four lines of interest have been placed in the designated areas. All four lines have positioned to the X and Y co-ordinates of the Search Tool.
• Edge finder – Four Edge Finder Tools have also been used. An edge find has been set to each line that has been placed on the application. The Edge Finder Tool will automatically find an edge, each time the line of interest has been re-positioned.
• Gauge – A Gauge Tool is used to find the distance of the two assigned areas. The Gauge Tool measures between two edges that have been found by the edge finder.

The screen shot above shows that the image has been captured from a camera and displayed in a view-port. The screen shows that the Search Tool has found its reference point, which allows the user to find the most common point each time. The screen also shows the four lines of interest that have been placed. These four lines are automatically positioned each time an image has been captured. The lines use the X and Y co-ordinates of the Search Tool to position themselves each time. Once the lines of interest have found the correct position, four Edge Finder Tools have been used to find an edge along each line that has been set. Two Gauge Tools have then been used to find the distance between the edge finder lines that have been set. This can be seen on the screen above. The edge lines are the flat lines going across the four edges. Two Text Tools have been added to allow the user to see the outcome of each result. These will be displayed automatically after each analysis has been carried out.

The screen shot above shows that another image has been captured through the camera and displayed in a view-port. The screen shows that the Search Tool has followed the criteria set and has found the reference point. Now that the Search Tool has found a reference point, this has allowed the four lines of interest to re-position themselves. The Edge Finder Tools have then performed an analysis on each of the re-positioned lines of interest. These are again automatically placed by the software. Now that the edges have been found, this will allow the Gauge Tool to perform an analysis on the two given areas. The two text statements allow the user to see the outcome of each gauge result.

This routine will continue checking the differing areas of the image until the user/programmer is satisfied that the job is done, and then if needed, then the system can be used for checking a variety of many other products.

From then on, there are a number of scenarios that can be implemented. The I/O Tool can signal the user’s PLC to operate a robot to discard the failed articles and to let the passed articles carry on down the production line.

The I/O Tool can even make the production line stop if there is any faults found with the products that are being checked.

Result:

The feasibility study showed that the product could be analyzed by using Vision Foundry’s tools. The product should be located within the image. This will allow the Edge Finder Tool to perform an analysis quickly and then allow the Gauge Tool to perform an analysis between the two set areas.