A hand-held apparatus and process for measuring the gap and mismatch of two adjacent surfaces. The apparatus includes two strobe lights positioned within a hand-held housing. An optical interface within the housing directs a portion of the light generated by each light source into substantially parallel planes which are projected out of the opening of the housing at converging angles onto the surfaces to be measured. A camera within the housing captures the resulting image and generates a signal corresponding to the image. A signal processor which includes a frame grabber card processes the signal generated by the array of detectors to thereby calculate the amount of gap and mismatch between the surfaces being measured.
A system for measuring gap and mismatch by optical triangulation projects two parallel light planes onto the parts to be characterized so as to form two brightness lines. The three-dimensional profiles of the parts are calculated along the brightness lines. Raw values of gap and mismatch are calculated, preferably using particular reference points and lines. These raw values are then corrected by reference to the separation between the light planes and the change in position of a reference point of the profile of one of the parts from one brightness line to the other.
A method of measuring precisely and highly accurately the distance between the surface at a predetermined position of a mold and a laser measuring instrument. The distance between the surface of a mold frame and the laser measuring instrument is measured by directing a laser beam to four positions on the surface of the mold frame, the positions on the surface of the mold frame are expressed by x-y coordinates while the distance between the surface of the mold frame and the laser measuring instrument is expressed by a z coordinate. An equation .DELTA.z=ax+by+c for correcting the measurement value of the distance between the surface of the mold frame and laser measuring instrument is determined by using the four measurement values and the maximum or minimum value of the these measurement values as the reference, and the distance between the position on the mold and the laser measuring instrument is measured. The correction values of the measurement positions are calculated from the equation .DELTA.z=ax+by+c and the coordinate values of the x-y coordinates of the measurement positions, and thse corrected values are added to the measurement values of the distance between the surface of the measurement portions of the mold and the laser measuring instrument.
The invention concerns a device (8) for measuring the width (b) of a gap (2) between two structural parts (3), wherein the gap (2) is delimited by edges (17) of the structural parts (3). The device comprises an illumination component (9) for illuminating the structural parts (3), a detection component (10) for detecting reflections caused by the illumination component (9) on the structural parts (3) in the area of the gap (2), and an evaluation component (19) for evaluating the detected reflections and for determining the width (b) of the gap (2). To measure the width (b) of the gap (2) in a simple, reliable, accurate, and reproducible fashion independently of the surface finish of the structural parts (3), the illumination component (9) and the detection component (10) are arranged and oriented relative to one another and relative to the gap (2) such that the detection component (9) detects line-shaped reflections at the edges (17) of the structural parts (3) delimiting the gap (2).
A method and apparatus for optically examining an object in a contactless manner, in which light successively impinges upon the surface of an object being examined. The different sources of light strike the object surface at different angles of incidence and reflect off the surface and are then able to be measured by an image sensor which produces a plurality of image data sets having different contents. In this way, a first image data set is produced with the incident light from which form-independent or non-topographical characteristics, such as color errors, can be derived. Form-dependent or topographical characteristics, such as scratches, are derived from a second image data set formed with glancing light or oblique light. Before the form characteristics are derived from the first image data set, it is essential that the distorting influences of form-independent characteristics are eliminated from the first image data set via the second image data set. Furthermore, the apparatus is embodied as a portable manual apparatus, which is placed by hand, in an approximately light-permeable manner, on the surface of the fixed object, or is displaced in contact with the surface.
Device and method to measure the gap between substantially static elements with a variable reciprocal position, used to adjust the reciprocal position of said elements to obtain a desired transit gap, comprising visual recording means connected to a processor equipped with at least display means, said processor being suitable to receive the images filmed by said visual recording means and to automatically compare said images with at least a pre-selected sample mask substantially reproducing the desired gap to be obtained, said processor being suitable to display, in numerical form on appropriate interface windows, the dimensional discrepancies between the image relating to the actual transit gap defined by said elements as filmed by said means, and said pre-selected sample mask.
