System and process for detecting and monitoring surface defects
First Claim
1. A process for detecting defects in a surface, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a light source relative to the surface;
generating positional information about the position of the light source relative to the surface by using positioning indicia located on the surface;
directing a plurality of beams of light from the light source onto a region of the surface;
detecting a portion of the light which is reflected from the surface at an angle other than the angle of expected reflectance;
generating reflectance information corresponding to the light detected during said detecting step; and
analyzing the reflectance information and the positional information to discern and identify the location of defects in the surface.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and process for detecting and monitoring defects in large surfaces such as the field joints of the container segments of a space shuttle booster motor. Beams of semi-collimated light from three non-parallel fiber optic light panels are directed at a region of the surface at non-normal angles of expected incidence. A video camera gathers some portion of the light that is reflected at an angle other than the angle of expected reflectance, and generates signals which are analyzed to discern defects in the surface. The analysis may be performed by visual inspection of an image on a video monitor, or by inspection of filtered or otherwise processed images. In one alternative embodiment, successive predetermined regions of the surface are aligned with the light source before illumination, thereby permitting efficient detection of defects in a large surface. Such alignment is performed by using a line scan gauge to sense the light which passes through an aperture in the surface. In another embodiment a digital map of the surface is created, thereby permitting the maintenance of records detailing changes in the location or size of defects as the container segment is refurbished and re-used. The defect detection apparatus may also be advantageously mounted on a fixture which engages the edge of a container segment.
45 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A process for detecting defects in a surface, comprising the steps of:
-
positioning a light source relative to the surface; generating positional information about the position of the light source relative to the surface by using positioning indicia located on the surface; directing a plurality of beams of light from the light source onto a region of the surface; detecting a portion of the light which is reflected from the surface at an angle other than the angle of expected reflectance; generating reflectance information corresponding to the light detected during said detecting step; and analyzing the reflectance information and the positional information to discern and identify the location of defects in the surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A process for detecting defects in a surface, comprising the steps of:
-
positioning a light source relative to the surface;
directing semi-collimated light generated by the light source at non-normal angles of expected incidence onto a region of the surface;generating positional information about the position of the light source relative to the surface by using positioning indicia located on the surface; detecting a portion of the light which is reflected from the surface at an angle other than the angle of expected reflectance; generating signals which correspond to the light detected during said detecting step; filtering the signals generated during said generating step through a noise filter to produce arithmetic filter outputs; analyzing the arithmetic filter outputs to discern defects in the surface; and
analyzing the positional information to identify the location of defects in the surface.
-
-
12. A system for detecting defects in a surface, comprising:
-
a light source capable of directing a plurality of beams of light onto a region of the surface; a positioning indicia locator in communication with said light source, said positioning indicia locator capable of determining the position of said light source relative to positioning indicia located on the surface; a light detector capable of detecting light reflected from the surface and of generating signals corresponding to the presence of such reflected light; a reflectance signal convertor in communication with said light detector, said convertor capable of converting the signals generated by said light detector into analyzable reflectance signals; and an analyzer in communication with said reflectance signal convertor, said analyzer capable of analyzing the analyzable reflectance signals to discern defects in the surface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A system for detecting defects in a surface, comprising:
-
a light capable of directing semi-collimated light at non-normal angles of expected incidence onto a region of the surface; a positioning indicia locator in communication with said light source, said positioning indicia locator capable of determining the position of said light source relative to positioning indicia located on the surface; a light detector capable of detecting a portion of the light which is reflected from the surface at an angle other than the angle of expected reflectance and of generating signals which correspond to such detected light; a noise filter capable of filtering the signals generated by said light detector to produce arithmetic filter outputs; and an analyzer capable of analyzing the arithmetic filter outputs to discern defects in the surface. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
Specification