Computer Vision

Imaging vision systems are widely used for industrial inspection as far as concerns dimensional measurements, position detection, surface analysis, qualitative control of details, mounting examination and robot guidance.
Into a complex industrial environment, these systems realize a 100% complete and reliable control of working cycle and are essential instruments in quality control.

Centro Laser has activated two research lines in the field of Computer Vision relatively to distinguished applications in plans of immediate follow-up in industrial field:

Centro Laser is involved in the realization of a 3D reconstruction system of small dimensions, in order to use a support of robotic systems in a spatial environment.
At the moment similar systems are not available on the market, because the existing commercial solutions can’t satisfy simultaneously a speed acquisition and data processing, low weight and compactness, applicability in harsh environments as the spatial one.
Other optical methodologies used for shape recognition, such as holography and interferometry, find application in medical and high precision industrial field, where off-line measurements are carried out on laboratory bench.

In the cut process, laser work pieces have not always a well defined and equal geometry.
This problem is less present in the field of metallic materials, that are generally supplied in sheet shape of fixed dimension before the treatment.
On the contrary, it is a critical factor during the leather and other materials cutting process, i.e. when the shape of the piece cannot be prior established.

In the frame of the project "Realization of an Intelligent and Environmentally Safe Laser Cutting Pilot Plant"; (funded by the Italian Minister of Education, University and Research), a shape recognition system will be realized. It will optimise the process development as regards the geometry available on the work plan, according to criteria, such as the optimisation of the laser-piece displacement or the minimisation of the working trimmings (nesting).