Method and apparatus for monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on a surface of an object for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, comprising the steps ofoptically sensing a bar code label which has been laser marked on the surface of an object to determine the depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label,generating a set of discrete digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone,calculating an average digital value representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone,comparing the average digital value to a predetermined range of digital values, andrejecting a bar code label when the calculated average digital value is outside the predetermined range.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label which has been laser marked onto the end of a nuclear fuel tube for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone. The average gray level value of the bar code label positioned on the end of the nuclear fuel tube is compared with a predetermined standard. In the method disclosed, a bar code label positioned on the surface of the nuclear fuel tube is optically sensed and a set of discrete digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone is generated. The average digital value representative of the bar code label is calculated and the average digital value compared to a predetermined standard.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A method of monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on a surface of an object for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, comprising the steps of
optically sensing a bar code label which has been laser marked on the surface of an object to determine the depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, generating a set of discrete digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, calculating an average digital value representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, comparing the average digital value to a predetermined range of digital values, and rejecting a bar code label when the calculated average digital value is outside the predetermined range.
-
4. A method of monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on a tube for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, comprising the steps of
generating a two dimensional image having a two dimensional array of digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with a bar code label which has been laser marked on a predetermined area of the surface of a tube, calculating an average digital value corresponding to the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, comparing the average digital value to a predetermined range of digital values having upper and lower limits defining upper and lower thresholds, and rejecting a tube when the calculated average digital value is greater than the upper limit or less than the lower limit of the predetermined range.
-
6. A method of monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on a tube for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, comprising the steps of
generating a two dimensional digital image having a two dimensional array of digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone of an acceptable bar code label which has been laser marked onto the surface of a tube, calculating an average value for the array of digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone of the acceptable bar code label, determining a predetermined range of digital values having upper and lower limits defining upper and lower thresholds from the average value, generating a two dimensional digital image having a two dimensional array of digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone of a bar code label positioned on the surface of an unknown tube, calculating an average value for the array of digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone of the unknown bar code label, comparing the calculated average value with the predetermined range of digital values, and rejecting a tube when the calculated average digital value is greater than the upper limit or less than the lower limit of the predetermined range.
-
7. A method of monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on the end of a nuclear fuel tube for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, comprising the steps of
optically sensing a bar code label which has been laser marked onto the end of a nuclear fuel tube to determine the depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, generating a set of discrete digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, calculating an average digital value representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, comparing the average digital value to a predetermined range of digital values, and rejecting a fuel tube when the calculated average value is greater or less than the predetermined range.
-
8. A method of monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on a nuclear fuel tube for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label comprising the steps of comparing the average gray level value of a bar code label which has been laser marked onto the end of a nuclear fuel tube and representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone with a predetermined range of gray level values having upper and lower threshold limits, and rejecting the fuel tube if the average gray level value is greater than the upper limit or less than the lower limit of the predetermined range.
-
9. An apparatus for monitoring the laser marking of a bar code label on the surface of a nuclear fuel tube for unacceptable depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, comprising
means for optically sensing a bar code label which has been laser marked onto the surface of a fuel tube to determine the depth penetration of the heat affected zone associated with the bar code label, means for generating a set of discrete digital values representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, means for calculating an average digital value representative of the depth penetration of the heat affected zone, means for comparing the average digital value to a predetermined range of digital values having upper and lower threshold limits, and means for rejecting a tube when the calculated average digital value is greater than the upper limit or less than the lower limit of the predetermined range.
Specification