Embodiments of the present disclosure are drawn to additive manufacturing apparatus and methods. An exemplary additive manufacturing method may include forming a part using additive manufacturing. The method may also include bringing the part to a first temperature, measuring the part along at least three axes at the first temperature, bringing the part to a second temperature, different than the first temperature, and measuring the part along the at least three axes at the second temperature. The method may further include comparing the size of the part at the first and second temperatures to calculate a coefficient of thermal expansion, generating a tool path that compensates for the coefficient of thermal expansion, bringing the part to the first temperature, and trimming the part while the part is at the first temperature using the tool path.

Translations of an object in a plurality of different spatial directions are measured using a plurality of interferometers to detect interference with light that has been reflected from a diffusively reflective surface, preferably using diffuse reflection from the same planar surface to measure in each of the different spatial directions. At least the interferometers that measure translation in directions that are not perpendicular to the surface each comprises a single mode fiber and a collimator configured to transmit the outgoing light to the object successively through the single mode fiber and the collimator, and to collect reflection into the single mode fiber with the collimator both along a same beam direction. It has been found that, when reflection of a beam with a beam direction at an oblique angle to a diffusively reflective surface is used, the interference resulting from translation of the object is due substantially only to translation in the beam direction.

A sensor device includes a sensor to detect a light beam to measure states of work pieces or a distance to the work pieces, a case body housing the sensor, and a protective cover including a protective plate that transmits the detection light beam. The protective cover includes a gas flow channel that passes a gas to be blown to the protective plate, the gas flow channel having formed therein an outlet port that passes the detection light beam and discharges the gas having flowed through the gas flow channel. The gas flow channel includes an accumulator between the protective cover and the case body adapted to have accumulated therein the gas flowing through the gas flow channel, and the accumulator includes vent holes through which the gas is allowed to flow out toward the outlet port.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a measuring apparatus capable of easily grasping a tracking state of a target and performing an efficient measurement. One aspect of the present invention is a measuring apparatus that emits a light beam toward a target, captures and tracks the target, and measures the three-dimensional coordinates of the target. The measuring apparatus comprises: a light source for emitting light beam; an angle control unit for controlling the emission angle of the light beam emitted from the light source so as to track the moving target; a display unit that provided on a device that is wearable by a measurer; a calculation unit for calculating the three-dimensional coordinates of the target based on the emission angle of the light beam and the light returning from the target; and a display control unit that controls information displayed on the display unit based on the three-dimensional coordinates calculated by the calculation unit. The display control unit performs control to superimposed and display the optical axis graphic image on a position of the optical axis of the light beam.

An example method for determining space availability in an aircraft includes receiving outputs from a plurality of laser sensors positioned in a baggage container at a first wall and a second wall, and the first wall and the second wall face each other. The plurality of laser sensors emit signals within the baggage container and detect reflected responses to generate the outputs. The example method also includes receiving images from a camera positioned on a third wall of the baggage container, wherein the third wall differs from the first wall and the second wall, mapping contents of the baggage container based on the outputs from the plurality of laser sensors, based on said mapping, outputting data indicative of occupied space in the baggage container, and associating the images from the camera with the contents of the baggage container.

The invention relates generally to a metrology system and coordinate measuring devices to be used within the framework of a smart factory environment, which has a defined arrangement of different metrology devices, configured such that coordinate measuring data generated by different metrology devices are referencable to a common coordinate system.

A terminal insertion device includes a chuck gripping a terminal, a housing holder holding a housing, an imaging unit to capture an image of the housing, a driving mechanism and a control unit. The control unit measures a distance from a reference point of a field of view of the imaging unit to a positioning target portion in the field of view based on an image obtained, measures a movement amount of a gripping point of the chuck when a measurement pin gripped by the chuck is aligned with the positioning target portion, calculates a reference distance between the gripping point and the reference point based on the distance and the movement amount, captures an image to identify a position of a cavity of the housing, drives the driving mechanism based on the calculated reference distance, and aligns and inserts the terminal into the identified cavity.

A system for monitoring loading and unloading of goods or area transfers of goods. A terminal is positioned close to the point of passage of the goods. The goods being in containers, each container includes a barcode or a container carrier having a barcode. The terminal includes an image capturing device, configured to capture a photograph or film at the time when at least one container or container carrier passes in front of the terminal. A flash connected to the image capturing device triggers when a photograph or film is captured. A control unit includes a microcontroller driving the system and the database. A processing unit to process the photograph or film to identify the barcode captured in the photograph or film. A triggering unit to trigger the capture of a photograph or film based on at least detection of a container indicating passage in front of the terminal.

A dynamic dimensioning system includes at least one camera, a range finder, and a tachometer. A computer may be used to perform a dynamic calibration operation for the cameras coupled over a communications network. The dynamic calibration operation includes a calibration estimate routine configured to generate default configuration parameters selected by a user from among a plurality of pre-defined user inputs via a graphical user interface, and a calibration refinement routine configured to refine the default configuration parameters to generate a completed set of calibration parameters that are set for the at least one camera. The dynamic calibration operation may be performed without first performing any static calibration operation.

An exemplary computing system for locating an object in an operational area is disclosed. The computing system having a server and plurality of edge devices. The edge devices having an image sensor configured to capture video data of the operational area from a specified location. The edge devices can process the video data to identify an object and generate a two-dimensional shape representative of the object, generate a vector from a lens of the image sensor through a center point of the two-dimensional shape; and determine relative position of the two-dimensional shape based on geospatial information of the edge device and the vector. The server and one or more of the edge devices receiving video data from a plurality of edge devices and generating a graphic, which defines a position of the object within the operational area based on the vector and location information of each edge device.