Acquisition and rendering of characteristic images of the wear surfaces of running parts within machinery

Image monitoring of the wear surfaces of moving pairs within machinery is investigated using a microscopy CCD imaging method and computer image process technology. The imaging measurement system of rubbing parts was constructed on the basis of an Amsler friction and wear test machine. Image capture of characteristic wear surfaces was achieved through a synchronous control system with sampling delay computing. Image process technology was applied to characterise the images of adhesive wear and abrasive wear. Wear images were first enhanced by median filtering method then a reiterative algorithm was used to compute the segmenting thresholds. A Kirsch-operator template matching method was then used to detect the edges of the binary image, so that a distinct shape contour expressing wear region features could be obtained. Consequently, the areas and ratios of different characteristic wear regions were measured by means of the image region depiction method of border tracing algorithm.