3D part inspection path planning of a laser scanner with control on the uncertainty

This article concerns the measurement process of mechanical parts using laser scanners. From the point of view of industrial applications, the objective is to guarantee the measurement accuracy during the scanning with regard to the geometrical product specifications. The proposed method can be summarized as follows: the first step consists of analyzing the interval of tolerance for the different specifications and to attribute to every geometrical entity a maximal uncertainty of measurement. This uncertainty depends on the angle of incidence between the laser plane and the scanned surface. In the second step, an approach based on the concept of visibility is used from the CAD model of the inspected part to find correct sensor guidance in a metrological point of view. A few position-points from this set are used to define the scanning path. Finally, the measurement can be carried out and the specifications can be controlled after the segmentation of the point clouds. An example illustrates the approach. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.