Method and device for evaluation of jointing regions on workpieces

• US 7,577,285 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2002
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precitec Vision GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Precitec Vision GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Schwarz, Joachim, Halschka, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mariam; Daniel G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seth; Manav
• Application Number:
  US10/495,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20050041852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 382/141, 382/266, 382/100, 382/103, 382/108, 382149-152, 219602-604, 219612-617, 219 57- 58, 219/86.9, 219 97-102, 219/121.63, 219/121.83, 219/136, 348/61, 348 86- 88, 348 90- 92, 348125-132
• US Class Current: 382/141
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/185 Tailored blanks
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/044 Seam tracking
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1274 Using non-contact, optical means, e.g. laser means
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/303 using photoelectric detection means

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a joint between workpieces is provided. At least one light line is recorded by the light section method to detect the three-dimensional course of the joint and a grey-level image of the joint is also recorded. The grey-level image is evaluated to assess the quality of the joint.

Claims

1. Method for detecting weld seam quality in welding workpieces comprising the steps of:

producing at least one light line over a weld seam;

recording the at least one light line by a camera sensor in order to detect the three-dimensional course of the weld seam and measure geometrical data of the weld seam;

recording a grey-level image of the weld seam by a camera sensor and a flash light illumination of the weld seam; and

evaluating the grey-level image for detecting local defects of the weld seam by an image evaluation unit.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light line and the grey-level image are recorded together as one image.

3. Method according to claim 1 wherein:

the step of recording the at least one light line is accomplished by means of a sensor having a non-linear, logarithmic characteristic; and

the step of recording a grey-level image is accomplished by a sensor having a substantially linear characteristic.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the substantially linear characteristic lies in the range of illumination intensity below that of the non-linear characteristic.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the step of recording the at least one light line and the step of recording a grey-level image is accomplished by a single sensor which has both a linear and a non-linear characteristic segment.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of recording the at least one light line includes generating a sufficiently long exposure time for the at least one light line under conditions of relative motion between workpiece and recording device for the diffuse light of the light line to be reflected by a region of the seam that is wider than the light line.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of recording a grey-level image includes generating a sufficiently short exposure time for the grey-level image by flash illumination under conditions of relative motion between workpiece and recording device to keep motion blur less than one pixel.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the step of recording a grey-level image includes recording at least one of a color image and a grey-level image.

9. Method according to claim 1, further including the step of assessing weld seam quality in the welding of tailored blanks by the image evaluation unit.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the step of assessing includes highlighting and examining the contours of the structures of the weld seam.

11. Apparatus for the detection of weld seam quality of welded workpieces comprising:

a light line projecting unit;

a flash illumination unit;

a recording unit configured for recording the light line image and a grey-level image; and

an image evaluation unit communicating with the recording unit and configured for evaluating the light line image and the grey-level image, the image evaluation unit being adapted to evaluate geometrical data of the weld seam and adapted to evaluate local defects of the weld seam by image processing of the grey-level image only.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the recording unit is configured to record an image in which the light line and grey-level image are recorded together.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the recording unit includes a sensor having a non-linear, logarithmic characteristic for the light line and a substantially linear characteristic for the grey-level image.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the recording unit includes a CMOS sensor having a substantially linear characteristic segment and a non-linear characteristic segment, the substantially linear characteristic segment lying in the low illumination sensitivity range of the sensor.

15. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the image evaluation unit is configured for highlighting and evaluating the contours of the joint region in the grey-level image.

16. Method for detecting weld seam quality in welding workpieces comprising the steps of:

producing at least one light line over a weld seam;

recording the at least one light line by a camera sensor in order to detect the three-dimensional course of the weld seam and measure geometrical data of the weld seam;

recording a color image of the weld seam by a camera sensor and a flash light illumination of the weld seam; and

evaluating the color image for detecting local defects of the weld seam by an image evaluation unit.

17. Apparatus for the detection of weld seam quality of welded workpieces comprising:

a light line projecting unit;

a flash illumination unit;

a recording unit configured for recording the light line image and a color image; and

an image evaluation unit communicating with the recording unit and configured for evaluating the light line image and the color image;

the image evaluation unit being adapted to evaluate geometrical data of the weld seam and adapted to evaluate local defects of the weld seam by image processing of the color image only.

18. Method for detecting weld seam quality in welding workpieces comprising the steps of:

producing at least one light line over a weld seam;

recording the at least one light line by a camera sensor in order to detect the three-dimensional course of the weld seam and measure geometrical data of the weld seam;

recording a grey-level image of the weld seam by a camera sensor and a flash light illumination of the weld seam;

evaluating the grey-level image for detecting local defects of the weld seam by an image evaluation unit; and

assessing the quality of spot welds by the image evaluation unit.

19. Method for detecting weld seam quality in welding workpieces comprising the steps of:

producing at least one light line over a weld seam;

recording the at least one light line by a camera sensor in order to detect the three-dimensional course of the weld seam and measure geometrical data of the weld seam;

recording a grey-level image of the weld seam by a camera sensor and a flash light illumination of the weld seam;

evaluating the grey-level image for detecting local defects of the weld seam by an image evaluation unit; and

assessing the quality of adhesive beads by the image evaluation unit.