System for surface analysis and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11879997-B2
Application number	US-202117205581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2021
Priority date	Nov 21, 2017
Publication date	Jan 23, 2024
Grant date	Jan 23, 2024

Abstract

A system and method for analyzing a surface of an object is provided. The system includes a 3D measurement device operable to acquire a plurality of points on the surface of the object and determine 3D coordinates for each of the points. The system further includes processors operably coupled to the 3D measurement device. The processors are responsive to computer instructions when executed on the processors for performing a method comprising: generating a point cloud from the 3D coordinates of the plurality of points; extracting a first set of points from the plurality of points; defining a first reference geometry through the first set of points; measuring at least one first metric from each of the points in the first set of points to the first reference geometry; and identifying a nonconforming feature based at least in part on the at least one first metric.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of analyzing a surface of an object, the method comprising:
performing a scan of the object with a 3D measurement device, the 3D measurement device being operable to measure 3D coordinates for a plurality of points on the surface;
generating a point cloud from the 3D coordinates of the plurality of points;
extracting a first set of points from the plurality of points;
defining a first reference geometry through the first set of points;
measuring at least one first metric from each of the points in the first set of points to the first reference geometry;
identifying a repetitive pattern; and
identifying a nonconforming feature based at least in part on the at least one first metric and the repetitive pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising segmenting surfaces in the point cloud into a set of surfaces based on edges of the object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first metric is a surface normal from the first reference geometry.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first metric is a ratio of the average of distances for two subareas within a window of window-points, wherein the window-points are defined based on a depth relative to a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first metric is a root-mean-square-error value for each of the points compared against the first reference geometry.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified nonconforming feature is at least one of a dent, a bump or a missing fastener.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
displaying the point cloud on a user interface; and
changing a color of the point cloud at a location of the nonconforming feature.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first metric is a distance from a plane to each of the points in the first set of points.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the distance is determined along a vector normal to the plane.

10. A method of analyzing a surface of an object, the method comprising:
performing a scan of the object with a 3D measurement device, the 3D measurement device being operable to measure 3D coordinates for a plurality of points on the surface;
generating a point cloud from the 3D coordinates of the plurality of points;
extracting a first set of points from the plurality of points;
defining a first reference geometry through the first set of points;
measuring at least one first metric from each of the points in the first set of points to the first reference geometry;
identifying a repetitive pattern on the first reference geometry;
identifying a nonconforming feature based at least in part on the at least one first metric and the repetitive pattern;
segmenting surfaces in the point cloud into a set of surfaces based on edges of the object;
defining an area of interest, the first set of points being disposed within the area of interest; and
moving the area of interest over each surface in the set of surfaces, wherein for each movement of the area of interest a second set of points is extracted from the plurality of points, a second reference geometry is fit through the second set of points, a second metric is measured from each of the points in the second set of points to the reference geometry, and a nonconforming feature is identified based at least in part on the second metric.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
moving the 3D measurement device about the object; and
performing a plurality of scans as the 3D measurement device is moved about the object.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the 3D measurement device is moved by an autonomous mobile platform.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
displaying a graphical representation of the object on a user interface;
identifying locations to perform each of the plurality of scans relative to the object in response to an input from an operator; and
transmitting the locations to the autonomous mobile platform.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
acquiring a plurality of images using a 3D camera, each of the plurality of images including depth information; and
generating the graphical representation of the object based at least in part on the plurality of images.

15. A method of analyzing a surface of an object, the method comprising:
performing a scan of the object with a 3D measurement device, the 3D measurement device being operable to measure 3D coordinates for a plurality of points on the surface;
generating a point cloud from the 3D coordinates of the plurality of points;
extracting a first set of points from the plurality of points;
defining a first reference geometry through the first set of points;
measuring at least one first metric from each of the points in the first set of points to the first reference geometry, wherein the at least one first metric is an average of distances of window-points to the first reference geometry, wherein the window-points are defined based on a depth relative to a threshold;
identifying a repetitive pattern; and
identifying a nonconforming feature based at least in part on the at least one first metric and the repetitive pattern.

Assignees

• Faro Tech Inc

Inventors

• Zweigle Oliver
• Frank Aleksej
• Buback Johannes

Classifications

• G01S7/4817 Primary

  relating to scanning · CPC title

• G01B11/005

  coordinate measuring machines · CPC title

• G01B11/24

  for measuring contours or curvatures · CPC title

• G01C15/004

  Reference lines, planes or sectors · CPC title

• G01S7/4808

  Evaluating distance, position or velocity data · CPC title