Defect detection of extruded strip

1 . A system for detecting defects in a strip of material, the system comprising:

a thermal imaging sensor positioned to detect a plurality of surface temperatures on a surface of the strip of material, the strip of material comprising a material surrounding a plurality of cords; and

a processing unit electrically connected to the thermal imaging sensor,

wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a thermal map of an area of the surface of the strip of material based on the plurality of surface temperatures detected by the thermal imaging sensor;

wherein the processing unit is configured to calculate an average surface temperature and a standard deviation;

wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine whether one or more surface temperatures of the plurality of surface temperatures are outside of a tolerance range, which is based on the standard deviation; and

wherein determining that the one or more surface temperatures are outside of the tolerance range indicates a defect in the area of the surface represented by the thermal map.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to determine that the one or more surface temperatures are lower than the tolerance range, which indicates that at least some of the material is missing from the strip of material.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to determine that the one or more surface temperatures are higher than the tolerance range, which indicates that at least a portion of a cord of the plurality of cords is missing or damaged.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the standard deviation is dynamic.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal imaging sensor comprises a first thermal imaging sensor is positioned above a top surface of the strip of material and a second thermal imaging sensor is positioned below a bottom surface of the strip of material.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an audio output device electrically connected to the processing unit, wherein the audio output device is configured to generate an audible tone when the processing unit determines that the one or more surface temperatures are outside the tolerance range.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a light-emitting device electrically connected to the processing unit, wherein the light-emitting device is configured to generate a visual indicator when the processing unit determines that the one or more surface temperatures are outside of the tolerance range.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a marking device electrically connected to the processing unit, wherein the marking device is configured to mark the strip of material at a location that corresponds with the one or more surface temperatures.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an operator interface device electrically connected to the processing unit, wherein the operator interface device is configured to display the thermal map.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to, upon determining that the one or more surface temperatures are outside the tolerance range, send a signal to stop a process for manufacturing the strip of material.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine a number of the plurality of cords not present in the extruded strip of material.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cords comprises a metallic material.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cords comprises a nylon material.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cords comprises a textile material.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal imaging sensor is positioned above a top surface of the strip of material.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal imaging sensor is positioned below a bottom surface of the strip of material.

17 . A defect detection system, the defect detection system comprising:

a thermal imaging sensor positioned to detect a plurality of surface temperatures on a surface of a merged structure, the merged structure comprising a first material merged with a second material, the first material having a higher temperature relative to the second material prior to being merged; and

a processing unit electrically connected to the thermal imaging sensor,

wherein, to generate denoised surface temperature data, the processing unit is configured to filter the plurality of surface temperatures, to smooth the plurality of surface temperatures, or to filter and to smooth the plurality of surface temperatures;

wherein the processing unit is configured to generate a thermal map of an area of the surface of the merged structure based on the denoised surface temperature data; and

wherein the processing unit is further configured to determine that one or more surface temperatures of the denoised surface temperature data are outside of a tolerance range, indicating a defect in the area of the surface represented by the thermal map.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the tolerance range comprises a dynamic tolerance range.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processing unit is configured to, upon determining that the one or more surface temperatures are outside of the tolerance range, send a signal to stop a process for manufacturing the strip of material.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more surface temperatures comprise a plurality of surface temperatures that are outside of the tolerance range, and wherein the processing unit is further configured to group the plurality of surface temperatures together relative to the thermal map and determine a shape of the defect.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the tolerance range comprises a standard deviation of the denoised surface temperature data.

22 . A method for detecting a defect in a strip of material, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of surface temperatures on a surface of the strip of material using a thermal imaging sensor, the strip of material comprising a material surrounding a plurality of cords;

processing, by a processing unit electrically connected to the thermal imaging sensor, the plurality of surface temperatures to generate a thermal map of an area of the surface of the strip of material;

calculating, by the processing unit, thermal metrics based on the thermal map;

calculating, by the processing unit, a tolerance range based on the thermal metrics; and

evaluating, by the processing unit, whether the plurality of surface temperatures are outside of the tolerance range, indicating a presence of a defect;

determining that a first temperature and a second temperature of the plurality of surface temperatures that are outside of the tolerance range; and

determining a shape of the defect based on the first temperature being near to the second temperature on the thermal map.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the tolerance range comprises a first standard deviation, and wherein the method further comprises updating the tolerance range based on a second standard deviation that changes relative to the first standard deviation.

24 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising: sending a signal to stop a process for manufacturing the strip of material.

25 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium, including stored computer-readable instructions, the stored computer-readable instructions being loaded and executed by a processor to perform a method of detecting a defect, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of surface temperatures on a surface of a strip of material using a thermal imaging sensor, the strip of material comprising a material surrounding a plurality of cords;

processing, by a processing unit electrically connected to the thermal imaging sensor, the plurality of surface temperatures to generate a thermal map of an area of the surface of the strip of material;

calculating, by the processing unit, thermal metrics based on the thermal map and a tolerance range based on the thermal metrics; and

evaluating, by the processing unit, whether the plurality of surface temperatures are outside of the tolerance range, indicating a presence of a defect;

determining a first temperature and a second temperature of the plurality of surface temperatures that are outside of the tolerance range; and

determining a shape of the defect based on the first temperature being near to the second temperature on the thermal map.