METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FOLLOWING AND INSPECTING AN EDGE ORBORDER

摘要

To follow and inspect a common edge (13) between two sheet metal blanks (6,7) which are to be welded together, a line pattern (5) is projected across the edge (13) by a projector (2) and is imaged by a camera (3). The image captured is analysed in order to derive from the trace of the lines information on the gap between the blanks, or on the track of the edge. The pattern projected has several lines with different light intensities. When the photographed image is processed, it is then possible even if there is variation in the reflection characteristics of the sheet metal blanks to select a line which is neither too faint nor too bright in the image obtained and which can therefore be used for meaningful analysis.