Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for inspection of workpieces and products having curved and, in particular, spherical surfaces. The method is based on scanning inspected objects with a narrow probing beam of electromagnetic radiation and concurrently measuring the radiation scattered on the surface. The method and apparatus improve the detectability of features and imperfections on inspected surfaces by providing invariable parameters and conditions of scanning, robust mechanical stability of scanning systems, high positioning accuracy of the probing electromagnetic beam and efficient collection of the scattered radiation. The apparatus allows surface defect classification, determining defect dimensions and convenient automation of inspection.

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for inspection of workpieces and products having curved and, in particular, spherical surfaces. The method is based on scanning inspected objects with a narrow probing beam of electromagnetic radiation and concurrently measuring the radiation scattered on the surface. The method and apparatus improve the detectability of features and imperfections on inspected surfaces by providing invariable parameters and conditions of scanning, robust mechanical stability of scanning systems, high positioning accuracy of the probing electromagnetic beam and efficient collection of the scattered radiation. The apparatus allows surface defect classification, determining defect dimensions and convenient automation of inspection.

An apparatus for measuring a surface of a workpiece has a multi-link articulated arm and a roughness sensor carried by the arm, which includes a sensing element linearly displaceable along an advance direction and elastically deflectable along a deflection direction, and which has a coupling link to connect it to a movable carrier of a coordinate measuring apparatus or of a robot. A first arm portion is rotatable relative to the coupling link about a first axis of rotation. A second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion about a second axis of rotation and arranged between the first and third arm portion which is rotatable relative to the second arm portion about a third axis of rotation, and to which the roughness sensor is fastened. The deflection direction is arranged parallel to the third axis while the sensing element is displaced linearly along the advance direction.

An apparatus for measuring a surface of a workpiece has a multi-link articulated arm and a roughness sensor carried by the arm, which includes a sensing element linearly displaceable along an advance direction and elastically deflectable along a deflection direction, and which has a coupling link to connect it to a movable carrier of a coordinate measuring apparatus or of a robot. A first arm portion is rotatable relative to the coupling link about a first axis of rotation. A second arm portion is rotatable relative to the first arm portion about a second axis of rotation and arranged between the first and third arm portion which is rotatable relative to the second arm portion about a third axis of rotation, and to which the roughness sensor is fastened. The deflection direction is arranged parallel to the third axis while the sensing element is displaced linearly along the advance direction.

A method of constructing a three-dimensional model of an internal surface of a tubular structure comprises obtaining image data from an area of the internal surface of the structure, obtaining measured height profile data from the internal surface in a plurality of sub-regions of the area, for example using a multi-finger caliper tool, determining image properties from the image data, correlating the measured height profile data with the image properties in the sub-regions, and constructing expected height profile data for at least part of the area outside the sub-regions using the correlated measured height profile data and image properties.

A surface profile measuring instrument (1), and method, for measuring the surface profile of a substrate (13). The surface profile measuring instrument (1) comprises an electromagnetic probe (8), the electromagnetic probe (8) comprising a probe tip operable to be brought into proximity with a surface of a substrate (13) to be measured, a drive unit (2) operable to generate a low frequency magnetic field penetrating the surface of the substrate (13), a pick up unit (3) operable to detect the strength of the magnetic field and output a magnetic field strength reading and a computation unit (4) operable to determine a surface profile measurement based on the magnetic field strength reading.

Provided are a method and device for detecting arrangement disorder of fibers in a conductive composite material. A coil (7) is disposed at a position at which the coil (7) faces the conductive composite material, and thereby a current can be applied to the conductive composite material. Thus, work or the like for attaching electrodes to the conductive composite material is not required. As a result, the arrangement disorder of the fibers in the conductive composite material can easily be detected. A method for detecting meandering of fibers in a conductive composite material includes a step of disposing a magnetic field sensor (8) at a position at which the magnetic field sensor (8) faces a surface (Sa) of the conductive composite material such that a direction (D) of a magnetosensitive axis is horizontal with the surface (Sa) and is parallel to coil faces (7e). Therefore, the magnetic field sensor (8) measures a magnetic field, and thereby a portion at which the arrangement disorder of the fibers in the conductive composite material is present can be detected.

Provided are a method and device for detecting arrangement disorder of fibers in a conductive composite material. A coil (7) is disposed at a position at which the coil (7) faces the conductive composite material, and thereby a current can be applied to the conductive composite material. Thus, work or the like for attaching electrodes to the conductive composite material is not required. As a result, the arrangement disorder of the fibers in the conductive composite material can easily be detected. A method for detecting meandering of fibers in a conductive composite material includes a step of disposing a magnetic field sensor (8) at a position at which the magnetic field sensor (8) faces a surface (Sa) of the conductive composite material such that a direction (D) of a magnetosensitive axis is horizontal with the surface (Sa) and is parallel to coil faces (7e). Therefore, the magnetic field sensor (8) measures a magnetic field, and thereby a portion at which the arrangement disorder of the fibers in the conductive composite material is present can be detected.

A step gauge and a reference gauge block are placed in a temperature-controlled chamber in parallel with each other. A temperature of the step gauge is changed to a first temperature and a second temperature using a measurement-target temperature adjuster and the temperature-controlled chamber. A distance between a first surface and a second surface of the step gauge is relatively measured at each of the first and second temperatures with reference to a distance between a first reference surface and a second reference surface of the reference gauge block. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the measurement target is calculated from the length of the measurement target at the first temperature and the length of the measurement target at the second temperature.

A step gauge and a reference gauge block are placed in a temperature-controlled chamber in parallel with each other. A temperature of the step gauge is changed to a first temperature and a second temperature using a measurement-target temperature adjuster and the temperature-controlled chamber. A distance between a first surface and a second surface of the step gauge is relatively measured at each of the first and second temperatures with reference to a distance between a first reference surface and a second reference surface of the reference gauge block. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the measurement target is calculated from the length of the measurement target at the first temperature and the length of the measurement target at the second temperature.