Multiple-sensor integration for rapid and high-precision coordinate metrology

This paper presents an integrated framework that supports multiple sensor integration for rapid and high precision coordinate metrology. Rapid acquisition of high precision coordinate data from parts having complex geometry has many applications. Typical examples include part localization and automatic calibration in inspection and agile machining, coordinate metrology in dimensional control, and reverse engineering in rapid product design and realization. In this paper, information aggregation technology that facilitates rapid acquisition of high precision coordinate data is developed and demonstrated using a multi sensor integrated coordinate measuring system. The multi-sensor coordinate measuring system consists of a high precision coordinate measuring machine (CMM), a motorized probe, and an active vision system. The active vision system along with intelligent feature recognition algorithms provides the global information of the unknown object, including location and orientation, surface geometry, and feature topology. The obtained information is subsequently used to plan the most informative view for the next measurement, to guide the mechanical probe for high speed coordinate data acquisition, and to strategically control the coordinate measuring machine for high precision/rapid sampling of critical surface areas. By integrating the developed technology with the state of the art equipment, a highly automated, high speed, high precision, 3D coordinate acquisition system is developed. It has potential applications in a whole spectrum of manufacturing problems with a major impact on metrology, inspection, and reverse engineering