An installation for the optical inspection of surface regions of objects, such as painted vehicle bodies, includes a test light device, by which objects located in a test region can be irradiated with a test light and by which a test pattern can be generated on the surface region. A lighting system includes a plurality of lighting units, by which test light can be emitted. The light intensity of the test light or both the color of light and the light intensity of the test light can be optionally adjusted by the lighting units.

The invention provides an apparatus for inspecting a light transmissible optical component. The apparatus comprises an image capturing module arranged on a first side of a support configured to hold a light transmissible optical component whilst it is being inspected. The apparatus includes an illumination device configured to shape light from a light source and to illuminate a selected portion of a surface of said light transmissible optical component with said shaped light to enable the image capturing module to capture any of a bright field image, a dark field image, or a combined bright field and dark field image of the light transmissible optical component being held by the support.

A cylindrical-body surface inspection device includes: a light irradiation unit configured to irradiate the cylindrical body with light; a two-dimensional imaging unit; a scanning-position determination unit configured to determine at a predetermined period, with respect to two-dimensional image data acquired by the two-dimensional imaging unit, a scanning position that is corresponding to a circumferential direction of the cylindrical body; a time-series scanning image generator configured to perform extraction of image data in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction at the scanning position determined by the scanning-position determination unit on a plurality of pieces of the two-dimensional image data acquired by the two-dimensional imaging unit, and generate a time-series scanning image by arranging in chronological order in the first direction each piece of extracted image data of the second direction; and an inspection unit configured to inspect the time-series scanning image to detect a defect.

In one embodiment, an optical state monitor includes an a light source detection layer for detecting electromagnetic radiation from an associated good. The optical state monitor uses a processor to evaluate the detected radiation, and make a comparison to a pre-defined optical state profile for the good. By making this comparison, the optical state detector is able to determine a quality for the good. In a particular construction, the optical state detector has an integral light source, and the light detection layer is printed as s thin film device. In this way, a stand-alone self-contained sensor is constructed for determining the good's current quality.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for monitoring yarn quality in the textile industry. Textile yarn is checked for quality to meet the required criteria such as diameter evenness and unwanted foreign fiber presence. The invention utilizes an artificial light illuminating the yarn, focusing element, diffraction element and the image sensor for capturing of focused diffracted rays from illuminated yarn image. The presence of foreign fibres in yarn and yarn diameter is determined by processing of captured image.

An automated optical inspection (AOI) equipment with adjustable image capturing combination and an image capturing combination adjusting method thereof are provided. The automated optical inspection equipment includes at least one image capturing apparatus, at least one moveable light source and a device-under-test (DUT) movement mechanism. A control circuit moves DUT, selects one light source, and controls the light source to move or rotate. The control circuit is capable of performing the capturing operation by switching multiple image capturing combinations sequentially. Each of the image capturing combinations records the image capturing apparatus, the position and angle of the DUT, the light source and its position and angle relative to DUT. The positions or angles of capturing combinations are different.

Accordingly, a large number of the image capturing results can be obtained for the DUT quickly and automatically.

An object of the present invention is to improve the quality level discrimination accuracy of the grain G by a grain quality level discrimination device. The device includes an optical unit 3 that emits light to the grain G, receives reflected and/or transmitted light from the grain G by a photosensor, and obtains information for discrimination of the quality level of the grain G from the upper and lower surface side of the grain G, and a quality level discrimination unit 7 that discriminates the quality level of the grain G on the basis of the information. The information on the upper and lower surface sides can be acquired by one optical unit at the same time so that the divergence therebetween due to the displacement or variation of the attitude of the grain G can be avoided. The reference plate for the correction of the information is placed outside of the moving path of the grain G to prevent it from soiling or damaging. Thus the deterioration of information can be avoided. Further, a reference plate especially for the information to be obtained from the side surface of the grain G may be provided for enhancing the accuracy of the side surface information. Thus the quality level discrimination accuracy can be improved further.

Systems for visually inspecting a surface of an object are provided, which includes a visual inspection head, and a positioning apparatus for controlling a position and/or an orientation of the visual inspection head with respect to the object. The visual inspection head includes a visual inspection module, and an angle controlling module for ensuring a predetermined angle of the visual inspection system with respect to an area to be inspected of the surface of the object. The angle controlling module may include a pointer for projecting a light beam onto the area to be inspected and a camera for determining whether the light beam is reflected substantially perpendicularly. The system is configured to move the visual inspection head relative to the object until the light beam is reflected substantially perpendicularly. Methods for visually inspecting a surface are also provided.

An inspection system for detecting defects in a workpiece can include an illumination source for illuminating a first section of the workpiece with a patterned light, wherein the illumination source does not illuminate a second section of the workpiece. The inspection system further includes a feedback camera for imaging the first section and producing a first output, and a background camera for imaging the second section and producing a second output. A processor compares the first output with the second output, and a controller alters the patterned light that is output by the illumination source based on the comparison. This feedback control continues until the background is suitably homogeneous or camouflaged compared to the defect, such that the visibility and/or detectability of the defect is increased.

The disclosed technology relates to an inspection apparatus that includes a stage configured to retain a specimen for inspection, an imaging device having a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the stage to view a specimen retained on the stage, a lens having a view encompassing the specimen retained on the stage, and a plurality of lights disposed on a moveable platform. The inspection apparatus can further include a control module configured to control a position of the stage, an elevation of the moveable platform, and a focus of the lens. In some implementations, the inspection apparatus includes an image processing system configured for receiving image data from the imaging device, analyzing the image data to determine a specimen classification, and automatically selecting an illumination profile based on the specimen classification. Methods and machine-readable media are also contemplated.