Patent ID: 8896844
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: F42B,G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A high-speed, 3-D method of optically measuring a geometric dimension of a plurality of manufactured parts, the method comprising: consecutively transferring the parts so that the parts travel along a path which extends to a vision station at which each of the parts has a predetermined position and orientation for optical measuring, each of the parts having an exterior end surface and an interior end surface at a first end of each of the parts, the first end of each of the parts having a length and a width, each of the parts having a part-holding pocket extending from the exterior end surface to the interior end surface, the part-holding pocket having a depth defined between the exterior end surface and the interior end surface; projecting a line of radiation having a predetermined orientation onto the end surfaces to obtain reflected line segments of radiation from the end surfaces of the part; detecting the reflected line segments of radiation at one or more image planes to obtain electrical signals; and processing the electrical signals utilizing a depth algorithm to determine the depth of the part-holding pocket between the exterior end surface and the interior end surface.