Abstract:
A system and method for coating marine pipeline weld joints and wet inspection of the applied coating is provided. The coating system includes an anti-corrosion coating including a fluorescent pigment to enhance inspection of the applied coating. The system also includes a robotic crawler for traversing inside the pipe and carrying a coating apparatus and inspection apparatus respectively configured to apply the coating on the weld joints and facilitate inspection of the wet coating. The coating apparatus comprises a spraying nozzle provided on a forward end of the robotic crawler and configured to spray coating onto on the surrounding circumferential pipe surface. The inspection apparatus includes an ultraviolet radiation emitter for activating the fluorescent pigment in the coating and a camera for providing a live image feed of the coated weld joint area to an operator computing station for inspection of the applied coating.
Abstract:
A borescope includes a housing extending from a first end toward a second end, the housing including a first transparent viewing section extending circumferentially around a longitudinal axis of the housing and defining an exterior of a portion of the housing; a first imaging assembly configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the housing, and also pivot relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing; and a second imaging assembly disposed within the housing, the second imaging assembly being configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the housing, wherein the second imaging assembly is configured to visualize a field of view exterior of the housing through the first transparent viewing section.
Abstract:
A system for the assessment of reflective surfaces disposed along a roadway repeatedly illuminates an area along the roadway that includes at least one reflective surface using a light source. Multiple light intensity values are measured over a field of view which includes at least a portion of the area illuminated by the light source. A computer processing system is used to identifying a portion of the light intensity values associated with a reflective surface and analyze the portion of the light intensity values to determine assessment for that reflective surface. In one embodiment, a virtual nighttime drive through along a roadway is simulated using a plurality of intensity values to simulate reflections from each reflective surface disposed along the roadway during the virtual drive through.
Abstract:
Detection arrangement and method for detecting presence of a residue in a sample include determining color values of the sample, associated with the L*a*b color model. A value of a composite parameter Z is calculated as follows: A=wL+waa+wbb where wL, wa and wb are weighting factors having a value depending on the residue and the sample. A determination is made whether or not the sample comprises more or less than a predetermined amount of the residue in dependence on the value of the composition parameter Z. In a preferred embodiment, the arrangement is used to detect antibiotic residues, e.g. penicillin-G, in food products, elg. Milk, or body fluids, e.g. blood, urine.
Abstract:
A system, suitable for high-speed operation, by which raw product (45), such as a slab of meat, can be accurately processed, such as by slicing into segments of desired weight, comprises a product profiling apparatus (15). The product profiling apparatus (15) measures the profile of the physical process. The product profiling apparatus (15) includes line lasers (75, 85) for directing a line of light across the upper and lower surfaces of the product (45) and visual image cameras (80, 90) directed toward the profile surface to capture, at fixed increments, the product profile. The product may also be weighed and the product density determined from the overall profile measurements. A controller (150) receives this data, and instructs the physical process accordingly.
Abstract:
A system for classifying different types of sheeting materials of road signs depicted in a videostream compares estimated retroreflectivity values against known minimum retroreflectivity values for each of a plurality of colors. Once a road sign has been identified in the videostream, the frames associated with that road sign are analyzed to determine each of a plurality of colors present on the road sign. An estimated retroreflectivity for each of the plurality of colors present on the road sign is then determined. By comparing the estimated retroreflectivity for each of the plurality of colors against known minimum retroreflectivity values for the corresponding color for different types of sheeting materials, an accurate determination of the classification of the sheeting material of the road sign is established. Preferably, certain conditions of gross failure of the sheeting material are filtered out before classification of the sheeting material is determined.
Abstract:
A system, suitable for high-speed operation, by which raw product (45), such as a slab of meat, can be accurately processed, such as by slicing into segments of desired weight, comprises a product profiling apparatus (15). The product profiling apparats (15) meassures the profile of the physical process. The product profiling apparatus (15) includes line lasers (75, 85) for directing a line of light across the upper and lower surfaces of the product (45) and visual image cameras (80, 90) directed toward the profile surface to capture, at fixed increments, the product profile. The product may also be weighed and the product density determined from the overall profile measurements. A controller (150) receives this data, and instructs the physical process accordingly.
Abstract:
An image processor based system and method for recognizing predefined-types of coating density imperfections in a web, specifically continuous type or streak imperfections. Continuous type imperfections are recognized in a continuous web moved at a certain rate through an imaging region illuminated by a stripe of substantially constant illumination. A time-delay integrating CCD camera is focused on the illuminated imaging region. The TDI CCD camera comprises an array of N rows of M light sensitive CCD elements each imaged on a fixed discrete pixel-related image area of the illuminated imaging region. The charge levels accumulated in the CCD elements of each row are shifted to the succeeding row or CCD elements and summed with the charge levels therein at a line shift clock frequency that ensures that an asynchronous relationship exists with respect to the incremental movement of the web. During the clock cycle of the N rows, the corresponding pixel areas of the illuminated web shift asynchronously or creep through the discrete pixel-related image areas. The accumulated pixel charge values derived from the pixel-related image areas of the illuminated region of said moving web emphasize imaging of longitudinal streak imperfections in the web due to the asynchronous movement the web.
Abstract:
The inspection method, in order to detect and locate defects (5) included within the thickness of the transparent material (2) to be inspected, consists in uniformly illuminating a bright background (7) placed relative to the camera (4) behind the material (2) in order to be viewed by transparency through the material (2), covering the field of view of the camera (4) and serving as contrast reference, in laterally illuminating the surface of the material (2) in order to distinguish defects (5) included within the material (2) from parasitic elements (11) deposited on its surface, in viewing by transparency, by the camera (4), placed in the vertical to the surface of the material (2), a sequence of contrasted images reproducing the thickness of the material (2), and in processing information acquired by the successive images which are representative of the material (2) seen in its thickness in order to detect and locate the defects (5) included within the thickness of the material (2).
Abstract:
A system and process for detecting and monitoring defects in large surfaces such as the field joints of the container segments of a space shuttle booster motor. Beams of semi-collimated light from three non-parallel fiber optic light panels are directed at a region of the surface at non-normal angles of expected incidence. A video camera gathers some portion of the light that is reflected at an angle other than the angle of expected reflectance, and generates signals which are analyzed to discern defects in the surface. The analysis may be performed by visual inspection of an image on a video monitor, or by inspection of filtered or otherwise processed images. In one alternative embodiment, successive predetermined regions of the surface are aligned with the light source before illumination, thereby permitting efficient detection of defects in a large surface. Such alignment is performed by using a line scan gauge to sense the light which passes through an aperture in the surface. In another embodiment a digital map of the surface is created, thereby permitting the maintenance of records detailing changes in the location or size of defects as the container segment is refurbished and re-used. The defect detection apparatus may also be advantageously mounted on a fixture which engages the edge of a container segment.