Automated height control and coil formation in wire rod mills are described within, where improvements in vision systems and smart sensors are leveraged to enable real-time control of both coil formation and coil height, without the need for secondary inspection and operator input from the pulpit.

A system is described for inspecting a container having a top surface using light reflections and positional data. The system comprises a radiation source arranged such that the light beam projects radiation onto the top surface, wherein the radiation radiates along the outer edge of the container; a sensor, wherein the radiation is collected by the sensor reflected from the container using positional data, wherein the positional data is used to create a reference plane of the top of the top surface; and a processor operatively connected to the sensor, the processor integrates the positional data to detect defects in the container and creates a reference plane of a top surface of the container, wherein sensor captures the positional data of the container as the container moves on the conveyor; and the positional data is integrated using software to produce a 3D topographical map of the container.

A system is described for inspecting a container having a top surface using light reflections and positional data. The system comprises a radiation source arranged such that the light beam projects radiation onto the top surface, wherein the radiation radiates along the outer edge of the container; a sensor, wherein the radiation is collected by the sensor reflected from the container using positional data, wherein the positional data is used to create a reference plane of the top of the top surface; and a processor operatively connected to the sensor, the processor integrates the positional data to detect defects in the container and creates a reference plane of a top surface of the container, wherein sensor captures the positional data of the container as the container moves on the conveyor; and the positional data is integrated using software to produce a 3D topographical map of the container.

A smart device is provided with an application program for displaying a video feed received from the smart device's camera. The application can determine the coordinates for an intersection point, which is a point on the ground where the smart device is pointing at. The application can display a target on the visual representation of the intersection point. Based on whether the smart device is at an appropriate distance from the intersection point, the user interface can superimpose an indicator on the video feed received from the camera. This can inform the user whether the smart device is at an optimal scan distance from the intersection point (or an object) so that the object can be identified by a machine learning model.

Disclosed herein are techniques for providing an illumination system that emits illumination into an environment while also enabling that system to be undetectable to certain types of external light detection systems. The system includes a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) low light (LL) detection device and a light emitting device. The light emitting device provides illumination having a wavelength of at least 950 nanometers (nm). An intensity of the illumination is set to a level that causes the illumination to be undetectable from a determined distance away based on the roll off rate of the light. While the light emitting device is providing the illumination, the SPAD LL detection device generates an image of an environment in which the illumination is being provided.

Method for inspecting a geometry (10) having a surface (11), which method uses an inspection device (100) having a digital image capturing means (120) and a shape scanning means (130), comprising the steps of

a) orienting the inspection device (100) in a first orientation;
b) depicting the surface (11) to produce a first image;
c) measuring a shape of a first geometry part to produce a first shape;
d) moving the inspection device (100) to a second orientation;
e) depicting the surface (11) to produce a second image;
f) measuring a second part of said geometry (10) to produce a second shape;
g) using digital image processing based on said first and second images, determining a geometric orientation difference between said first and second orientations;
h) determining a geometric relation between the first and second shapes; and
i) producing a data representation of said geometry based on said first shape, said second shape and said geometric relation.

The invention also relates to a device.

Example implementations relate to an inspection method for training a measurement machine to accurately measure side joint lengths and detecting a defect among a plurality of solder joints. The method includes receiving a first data representing the side joint lengths of the plurality of solder joints measured by a first measurement machine and a second data representing the side joint lengths measured by a second measurement machine. Further, the method includes determining a correlation value based on a statistical analysis of a relationship between the first data and the second data. The method further includes updating an algorithm used by the first measurement machine to measure the side joint lengths, based on the correlation value to reduce deviation between the first data and the second data. Later, the updated algorithm is used as a dimensional metrology in the first measurement machine for detecting the defect in the solder joints.

Example implementations relate to an inspection method for training a measurement machine to accurately measure side joint lengths and detecting a defect among a plurality of solder joints. The method includes receiving a first data representing the side joint lengths of the plurality of solder joints measured by a first measurement machine and a second data representing the side joint lengths measured by a second measurement machine. Further, the method includes determining a correlation value based on a statistical analysis of a relationship between the first data and the second data. The method further includes updating an algorithm used by the first measurement machine to measure the side joint lengths, based on the correlation value to reduce deviation between the first data and the second data. Later, the updated algorithm is used as a dimensional metrology in the first measurement machine for detecting the defect in the solder joints.

A method with distance estimation includes detecting a pedestrian region of a pedestrian comprised in a plurality of images received from a camera; determining a static point in the detected pedestrian region; and determining a distance between the pedestrian and the camera based on the static point in each of the images and a position of the camera corresponding to each of the images.

Systems and methods for optically measuring a position of a measurement surface relative to a reference position. The system is a wireless network comprising a centrally located data acquisition computer and a multiplicity of remotely located sensor modules mounted at different locations within wireless communication range of a central receiver. Each sensor module is mounted to a clamp that is made specific to a control surface location and embedded with an RFID tag to denote clamp location. The optical components of the sensor modules are selected to enable indication of the linear position of a measurement surface relative to a reference position and then broadcast the measurement results. The broadcast results are received by the central receiver and processed by the data acquisition computer, which hosts human interface software that displays measurement data.