There are provided a method and associated system for determining compliance of a part having teeth, crests or roots with a reference drawing. The method includes providing an image of the part; overlaying and aligning the reference drawing with the image of the part; analyzing the image of the part with the aligned overlay to extract a plurality of measurement points on the image of the part, each being associated with a corresponding crest or root of the teeth; and comparing the image of the part to the reference drawing in the crest or root regions to determine if the part is within a predetermined tolerance at each measurement point. The method is particularly suited for the inspection of parts having an uneven profile.

A fluid density gradient detection method includes capturing, by an imaging device under a predetermined imaging condition, a background image that forms a periodic pattern over an observation target area, and outputting an image indicating a fluid density gradient in the observation target area based on a captured image captured by the imaging device. The imaging condition is determined based on a relationship between a width of a pixel of the captured image in a direction in which the pattern periodically changes on the captured image and a pattern period width of the pattern on the captured image.

A surface inspection apparatus includes an imaging device configured to image a surface of an object to be inspected, and a processor configured to calculate a numerical value representing a quality of the surface by processing an image captured by the imaging device, and display, on a display device, the image including an index for specifying a position of a portion that has contributed to the calculation of the numerical value and the numerical value.

Techniques for facilitating testing analytics of imaging systems and methods using molds are provided. In one example, a system includes a mold temperature controller configured to apply a thermal signature to a mold of a target. The system further includes a focal plane array configured to capture an infrared image of the mold. The system further includes an image analytics device configured to determine thermal analytics associated with the mold based on the infrared image. Related devices and methods are also provided.

A system is provided for programming workpiece feature inspection operations for a coordinate measuring machine (CMM), including a user interface that comprises a workpiece inspection program simulation portion configurable to display a 3-D view of a workpiece; an editing user interface portion comprising an editable plan representation of a current workpiece feature inspection plan for the workpiece; and an editable alignment program plan representation for the workpiece. The system is configured with the editable alignment program plan representation being automatically responsive to editing operations, regardless of whether the editing operations are performed in the 3-D view or the editable plan representation. The editing operations include deleting or adding at least one workpiece feature to or from the editable alignment program plan representation.

There is a need for more effective and efficient printed circuit board (PCB) design. This need can be addressed by, for example, solutions for performing automated PCB component estimation. In one example, a method includes identifying a plurality of initial component estimations for the PCB; performing a shadow detection segmentation using the plurality of initial component estimations, a non-direct-lighting image, and one or more direct-lighting images to generate a first set of detected PCB components; performing a super-pixel segmentation using the plurality of initial component estimations and the non-direct-lighting-image to generate a second set of detected PCB components; and generating a bill of materials for the PCB based at least in part on the first set of detected PCB components and the second set of detected PCB components.

An apparatus includes a control system that defines a test part having multiple features of multiple feature types. The control system controls an additive manufacturing (AM) machine to print multiple copies of the test part, with each copy being printed according to a respective set of values used as printing parameters. A measurement system obtains a computed tomography (CT) image of each of the copies of the test part. An analysis system, for each of the plurality of feature types, analyzes the CT images to identify a selected set of values for the printing parameters. The analysis system identifies a portion of the CT image related to a first feature and assesses its density based on an average grayscale value. The AM machine is then controlled to print production parts according to, for each feature type of the production parts, the selected set of values for the printing parameters.

Method for searching a hole pattern in image includes extracting, from an image where a hole pattern is formed, plural outline position candidates serving as candidates for plural positions where an outline of the hole pattern passes, generating, for each pixel in a region including the plural outline position candidates, a distance map which defines, for each of plural directions, a distance from each of the plural outline position candidates to each of pixels arrayed in a target direction of the plural directions, extracting a candidate for a center pixel of the hole pattern by using the distance map generated for each direction, and searching, in the plural outline position candidates, a group of outline position candidates which satisfies a predetermined condition in the case of using the candidate for the center pixel as a starting point, as plural outline positions where the outline of the hole pattern passes.

A device to detect defects in a finished surface by analyzing images thereof includes a supporting mechanism, a transmitting mechanism, a detecting mechanism, and a processor. The transmitting mechanism carries and transmits the product. The detecting mechanism includes a detecting frame, and a light source assembly. The processor is used to connect to a camera assembly, and preprocess image obtained of the front of the product to obtain a detection of any defects of the front of the product.

A system classifies materials utilizing a vision system that implements an artificial intelligence system in order to identify or classify and then remove automotive airbag modules from a scrap stream, which may have been produced from a shredding of end-of-life vehicles. The sorting process may be designed so that live airbag modules are not activated, which may cause damage to equipment or persons.