Vision inspection systems and methods using light sources of different wavelengths

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12596080-B2
Application number	US-202418415016-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2024
Priority date	Jan 17, 2024
Publication date	Apr 7, 2026
Grant date	Apr 7, 2026

Abstract

A system includes a station to support a workpiece having one or more welds and/or surface features, and first and second vision sensing assemblies. The first assembly is configured to illuminate the workpiece and generate an image of the one or more welds and/or surface features. The first assembly includes a first light source configured to emit light having a first wavelength and a first sensor configured to detect the light having the first wavelength reflected by the workpiece. The second assembly is configured to illuminate the workpiece and generate an image of the one or more welds and/or surface features. The second assembly includes a second light source configured to emit light having a second wavelength and a second sensor configured to detect the light having the second wavelength reflected by the workpiece. Other example systems and methods are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vision inspection system for welds and/or surface features, the vision inspection system comprising:
a scanning station to support a workpiece including one or more welds and/or surface features; a first vision sensing assembly configured to illuminate the workpiece and generate an image of the one or more welds and/or surface features of the workpiece, the first vision sensing assembly including a first light source configured to emit light having a first wavelength towards the workpiece and a first sensor configured to detect the light having the first wavelength reflected by the workpiece; a second vision sensing assembly configured to illuminate the workpiece and generate an image of the one or more welds and/or surface features of the workpiece, the second vision sensing assembly including a second light source configured to emit light having a second wavelength towards the workpiece and a second sensor configured to detect the light having the second wavelength reflected by the workpiece; and a control module in communication with the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, the control module configured to control the first light source and the second light source to turn on at the same time, and combine image data from the first sensor and image data from the second sensor based on a relative velocity between the workpiece and the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, and a distance between the first light source and the second light source, wherein the second wavelength is different than the first wavelength.

2 . The vision inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are positioned adjacent to each other.

3 . The vision inspection system of claim 2 , wherein a distance between the first light source and the second light source is a fixed value of ten millimeters or less.

4 . The vision inspection system of claim 2 , wherein the first light source and the second light source are positioned in a plane extending parallel to the workpiece.

5 . The vision inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the first light source is a laser configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at the first wavelength.

6 . The vision inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the laser is a blue laser.

7 . The vision inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the first sensor includes a camera.

8 . The vision inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the first sensor includes a filter configured to allow only light at the first wavelength to pass therethrough.

9 . The vision inspection system of claim 5 , wherein:
the laser is a first laser; and the second light source is a second laser configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at the second wavelength.

10 . The vision inspection system of claim 9 , wherein the second laser is a red laser.

11 . The vision inspection system of claim 9 , wherein the second sensor includes a camera.

12 . The vision inspection system of claim 9 , wherein the second sensor includes a filter configured to allow only light at the second wavelength to pass therethrough.

13 . The vision inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a robotic arm mounted to the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, the robotic arm configured to move the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly over the one or more welds and/or surface features of the workpiece.

14 . The vision inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a conveyor configured to move the workpiece into a field of view of the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly.

15 . A method for inspecting welds and/or surface features using a first vision sensing assembly including a first light source and a first sensor and a second vision sensing assembly including a second light source and a second sensor, the method comprising:
illuminating a workpiece including one or more welds and/or surface features with light emitted from the first light source having a first wavelength; illuminating the workpiece with light emitted from the second light source having a second wavelength different than the first wavelength; generating a first image with the first sensor based on the light having the first wavelength; generating a second image with the second sensor based on the light having the second wavelength; and combining the first image generated by the first sensor and the second image generated by the second sensor based on a relative velocity between the workpiece and the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, and a distance between the first light source and the second light source.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the first light source is a laser configured to emit light at the first wavelength; the second light source is a laser configured to emit light at the second wavelength; the first sensor includes a camera; and the second sensor includes a camera.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
filtering, via a first filter, the light emitted at the first wavelength; and filtering, via a second filter, the light emitted at the second wavelength.

18 . A vision inspection system for welds and/or surface features, the vision inspection system comprising:
a scanning station to support a workpiece including one or more welds and/or surface features; a first vision sensing assembly configured to illuminate the workpiece and generate an image of the one or more welds and/or surface features of the workpiece, the first vision sensing assembly including a first light source configured to emit light having a first wavelength towards the workpiece and a first sensor configured to detect the light having the first wavelength reflected by the workpiece; a second vision sensing assembly configured to illuminate the workpiece and generate an image of the one or more welds and/or surface features of the workpiece, the second vision sensing assembly including a second light source configured to emit light having a second wavelength towards the workpiece and a second sensor configured to detect the light having the second wavelength reflected by the workpiece; and a control module in communication with the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, the control module configured to combine image data from the first sensor and image data from the second sensor based on a relative velocity between the workpiece and the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, and a distance between the first light source and the second light source wherein the second wavelength is different than the first wavelength.

19 . The vision inspection system of claim 18 , further comprising a robotic arm mounted to the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly, the robotic arm configured to move the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly over the one or more welds and/or surface features of the workpiece.

20 . The vision inspection system of claim 19 , further comprising a conveyor configured to move the workpiece into a field of view of the first vision sensing assembly and the second vision sensing assembly.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Li Guangze
• Fischer Brian
• Wang hui-ping
• Arinez Jorge F

Classifications

• G01N21/8851

  Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges (G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002) · CPC title

• G01N2021/8867

  using sequentially two or more inspection runs, e.g. coarse and fine, or detecting then analysing · CPC title

• G01N2021/8845

  Multiple wavelengths of illumination or detection · CPC title

• G01N2021/8838

  Stroboscopic illumination; synchronised illumination · CPC title

• G01N21/8806 Primary

  Specially adapted optical and illumination features · CPC title