Crankshaft shape inspection method, arithmetic unit, program, and shape inspection apparatus

1 . A crankshaft shape inspection method, comprising:

acquiring, by a computer processor including processing circuitry, three-dimensional point cloud data of a surface of a crankshaft by a three-dimensional shape measuring device measuring a surface shape of the crankshaft;

generating, by the computer processor, while using the three-dimensional point cloud data, first point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a first threshold value and second point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value; and

extracting, by the computer processor, based on the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, calculating a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and calculating a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data,

wherein generating, by the computer processor, the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises

generating, by the computer processor, first point cloud basic data by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the first threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and at the same time, generating second point cloud basic data by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the second threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and

translating and rotating, by the computer processor, the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data to make distances between the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data and a surface shape model of the crankshaft prepared in advance based on design specifications of the crankshaft minimum and setting the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data superposed on the surface shape model to the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data.

2 . The crankshaft shape inspection method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

moving, by the computer processor, the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data generated at the generation step to match with a coordinate system used when the crankshaft is machined, wherein

calculating, by the computer processor, the side dimension and the longitudinal position of the counterweight comprise, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, are extracted from each of the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data that are moved, a side dimension of the counterweight is calculated using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and a longitudinal position of the counterweight is calculated using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data.

3 . The crankshaft shape inspection method according to claim 2 , wherein

moving the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises,

machining reference portion point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a predetermined machining reference portion, are extracted from the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, and the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data are translated and rotated to make coordinates of a machining reference determined by the extracted machining reference portion point cloud data match with coordinates predetermined in a coordinate system used when the crankshaft is machined.

4 . The crankshaft shape inspection method according to claim 3 , wherein

moving the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises,

the machining reference portion is two shaft portions, a single pin, and two adjacent counterweights of the crankshaft, and

the machining reference is a center of each of the two shaft portions, a center of the single pin, and facing side surfaces of the two counterweights.

5 . The crankshaft shape inspection method according to claim 4 , wherein

moving the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises,

regarding the two shaft portions and the single pin among the machining reference portions, as machining reference portion point cloud data, point cloud data of a portion that a fixing chuck for fixing the crankshaft comes into contact with are extracted.

6 . The crankshaft shape inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein

the three-dimensional shape measuring device is a plurality of optical three-dimensional shape measuring devices that are arranged around a rotation center axis of the crankshaft, and measure a three-dimensional shape of the crankshaft by projecting and receiving light on and from the crankshaft while relatively moving in a direction parallel to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft.

7 . The crankshaft shape inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein

the three-dimensional shape measuring device is four or more optical three-dimensional shape measuring devices that are arranged around a rotation center axis of the crankshaft, and measure a three-dimensional shape of the crankshaft by projecting and receiving light on and from the crankshaft while relatively moving in a direction parallel to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft,

the three-dimensional shape measuring devices are divided into first-group shape measuring devices and second-group shape measuring devices, the first-group shape measuring devices that have light projection directions thereof inclined by an angle β in the same direction with respect to a direction orthogonal to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft and the second-group shape measuring devices that have light projection directions thereof inclined by the angle β in a direction different from the direction of the first-group shape measuring devices,

the second-group shape measuring devices are arranged around the rotation center axis of the crankshaft between the first-group shape measuring devices,

acquiring three-dimensional point cloud data of the surface of the crankshaft comprises, measurement results obtained by the four or more three-dimensional shape measuring devices are combined, to thereby generate three-dimensional point cloud data of the surface of the crankshaft, and

calculating the side dimension and the longitudinal position of the counterweight comprise, when a measurement pitch of the three-dimensional point cloud data in a longitudinal direction is set to Δx, the first threshold value is set to Th 1 , and the second threshold value is set to Th 2 , a side dimension of the counterweight is calculated using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data generated using the first threshold value Th 1 satisfying Expression (1) below, and a longitudinal position of the counterweight is calculated using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data generated using the second threshold value Th 2 satisfying Expression (2) below,

Δ x<Th 1<4Δ x   (1)

Δ x /tan(abs(β))< Th 2  (2)

In Expression (2) above, abs(β) means the absolute value of β.

8 . A crankshaft shape inspection method, comprising:

acquiring, by a computer processor including processing circuitry, three-dimensional point cloud data of a surface of a crankshaft by a three-dimensional shape measuring device measuring a surface shape of the crankshaft;

generating, by the computer processor, while using the three-dimensional point cloud data, first point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a first threshold value and second point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value; and

extracting, by the computer processor, based on the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, calculating a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and calculating a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data,

wherein generating, by the computer processor, the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises

translating and rotating, by the computer processor, the three-dimensional point cloud data to make a distance between the three-dimensional point cloud data and a surface shape model of the crankshaft prepared in advance based on design specifications of the crankshaft minimum, and superposing the three-dimensional point cloud data on the surface shape model, and

performing, by the computer processor, isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the first threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data superposed on the surface shape model to generate the first point cloud data, and at the same time, performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the second threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data superposed on the surface shape model to generate the second point cloud data.

9 . An arithmetic unit for inspecting a shape of a crankshaft, the arithmetic unit comprising:

a computer processor including processing circuitry programmed to perform operations comprising:

acquire three-dimensional point cloud data of a surface of the crankshaft based on a result obtained by a three-dimensional shape measuring device measuring a surface shape of the crankshaft;

generate, while using the three-dimensional point cloud data, first point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a first threshold value and second point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value; and

extract, based on the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, calculate a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and calculate a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data,

wherein generating the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises

generate first point cloud basic data by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the first threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and at the same time, generate second point cloud basic data by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the second threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and

translate and rotate the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data to make distances between the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data and a surface shape model of the crankshaft prepared in advance based on design specifications of the crankshaft minimum and set the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data superposed on the surface shape model to the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data.

10 . A crankshaft shape inspection apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of optical three-dimensional shape measuring devices that are arranged around a rotation center axis of a crankshaft, and measure a three-dimensional shape of the crankshaft by projecting and receiving light on and from the crankshaft while relatively moving in a direction parallel to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft; and

an arithmetic unit that receives measurement results obtained by a plurality of the three-dimensional shape measuring devices and executes a predetermined arithmetic operation, wherein

at least some of the three-dimensional shape measuring devices are arranged to be inclined to make light projection directions different from each other with respect to a direction orthogonal to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft, and

the arithmetic unit includes:

a computer processor including processing circuitry programmed to perform operations comprising:

acquire three-dimensional point cloud data of a surface of the crankshaft based on results obtained by the three-dimensional shape measuring devices measuring a surface shape of the crankshaft;

generate, while using the three-dimensional point cloud data, first point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a first threshold value and second point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value; and

extract, based on the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, calculate a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and calculate a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data,

wherein generating, by the computer processor, the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises

generate, by the computer processor, first point cloud basic data by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the first threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and at the same time, generate second point cloud basic data by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the second threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data, and

translate and rotate, by the computer processor, the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data to make distances between the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data and a surface shape model of the crankshaft prepared in advance based on design specifications of the crankshaft minimum and set the first point cloud basic data and the second point cloud basic data superposed on the surface shape model to the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data.

11 . The crankshaft shape inspection apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:

four or more of the optical three-dimensional shape measuring devices, wherein

the three-dimensional shape measuring devices are divided into first-group shape measuring devices and second-group shape measuring devices, the first-group shape measuring devices that have light projection directions thereof inclined by an angle β in the same direction with respect to a direction orthogonal to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft and the second-group shape measuring devices that have light projection directions thereof inclined by the angle β in a direction different from the direction of the first-group shape measuring devices, and

the second-group shape measuring devices are arranged around the rotation center axis of the crankshaft between the first-group shape measuring devices.

12 . The crankshaft shape inspection apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the three-dimensional shape measuring devices have light projection directions thereof inclined by the angle β with respect to a direction orthogonal to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft, and

when a measurement pitch of the three-dimensional point cloud data in a longitudinal direction is set to Δx, the first threshold value is set to Th 1 , and the second threshold value is set to Th 2 ,

the computer processor is programmed to perform operations comprising that:

calculate a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data generated using the first threshold value Th 1 satisfying Expression (1) below, and calculate a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data generated using the second threshold value Th 2 satisfying Expression (2) below,

Δ x<Th 1<4Δ x   (1)

Δ x /tan(abs( B ))< Th 2  (2)

in Expression (2) above, abs(β) means the absolute value of β.

13 . An arithmetic unit for inspecting a shape of a crankshaft, the arithmetic unit comprising:

a computer processor including processing circuitry programmed to perform operations comprising:

acquire three-dimensional point cloud data of a surface of the crankshaft based on a result obtained by a three-dimensional shape measuring device measuring a surface shape of the crankshaft;

generate, while using the three-dimensional point cloud data, first point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a first threshold value and second point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value; and

extract, based on the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, calculate a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and calculate a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data,

wherein generating the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises

translate and rotate the three-dimensional point cloud data to make a distance between the three-dimensional point cloud data and a surface shape model of the crankshaft prepared in advance based on design specifications of the crankshaft minimum, and superpose the three-dimensional point cloud data on the surface shape model, and

perform isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the first threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data superposed on the surface shape model to generate the first point cloud data, and at the same time, perform isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the second threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data superposed on the surface shape model to generate the second point cloud data.

14 . A crankshaft shape inspection apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of optical three-dimensional shape measuring devices that are arranged around a rotation center axis of a crankshaft, and measure a three-dimensional shape of the crankshaft by projecting and receiving light on and from the crankshaft while relatively moving in a direction parallel to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft; and

an arithmetic unit that receives measurement results obtained by a plurality of the three-dimensional shape measuring devices and executes a predetermined arithmetic operation, wherein

at least some of the three-dimensional shape measuring devices are arranged to be inclined to make light projection directions different from each other with respect to a direction orthogonal to the rotation center axis of the crankshaft, and

the arithmetic unit includes:

a computer processor including processing circuitry programmed to perform operations comprising:

acquire three-dimensional point cloud data of a surface of the crankshaft based on results obtained by the three-dimensional shape measuring devices measuring a surface shape of the crankshaft;

generate, while using the three-dimensional point cloud data, first point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a first threshold value and second point cloud data based on point cloud data generated by performing isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value; and

extract, based on the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data, counterweight point cloud data, which are point cloud data of a counterweight of the crankshaft, calculate a side dimension of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the first point cloud data, and calculate a longitudinal position of the counterweight using the counterweight point cloud data extracted from the second point cloud data,

wherein generating the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data comprises

translate and rotate the three-dimensional point cloud data to make a distance between the three-dimensional point cloud data and a surface shape model of the crankshaft prepared in advance based on design specifications of the crankshaft minimum, and superpose the three-dimensional point cloud data on the surface shape model, and

perform isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the first threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data superposed on the surface shape model to generate the first point cloud data, and at the same time, perform isolated point removal processing that removes data points whose distance to the nearest neighbor data point is equal to or more than the second threshold value on the three-dimensional point cloud data superposed on the surface shape model to generate the second point cloud data.