Shining surface sensor using polarization

At factory automated assembly lines, most inspections are carried out by human visual techniques. From this viewpoint, more ideal, more human-like sensing techniques are demanded to realize true “automation”. The most important object in assembly lines defect detection is the so called “shining surface” concept, in which defects are detectable by using a polarizing beam splitter. As a new method that has never been applied to conventional sensors, an optical system must be newly designed considering the property of specularly reflected light for shining surface sensors. This paper describes such a shining surface sensor and its application