Inspection system for shell casings
An inspection system includes a conveyance system, at least one laser, at least one camera, and a controller. The conveyance system is configured to transport casings. Each casing has an exterior surface and a recessed region extending inward from the exterior surface. Each recessed region has a depth and a diameter. The at least one laser is configured to project first and second laser lines onto the recessed region of each casing along the corresponding diameter of each casing. The at least one camera is configured to capture a set of images of the first and second laser lines on the recessed region of each casing. The controller is programmed to estimate a magnitude of each diameter of each recessed region based on a corresponding set of images of the first and second laser lines on a corresponding recessed region of each casing.
1 . An inspection system for casings comprising:
first and second lasers (i) disposed on first and second opposing sides of the casings, respectively, (ii) oriented at first and second angles relative to longitudinal axes of the casings, respectively, and (iii) configured to project first and second laser lines onto a lateral interior surface and not onto a bottom interior surface of each casing, wherein the lateral interior surface and bottom interior surface of each casing are positioned within a pocket that is defined by each casing, the lateral interior surface of each casing extends inward from an exterior surface to the bottom interior surface within the pocket of each casing, and the first and second laser lines are projected onto the lateral interior surface of each casing along an angle relative to the longitudinal axes of the casings such that a depth at which the first and second laser lines extend into the pocket of each casing along the lateral interior surface of each casing increases from outer ends of the first and second laser lines to apexes of the first and second laser lines;
first and second cameras (i) disposed on the first and second opposing sides of the casings, respectively, (ii) oriented at third and fourth angles relative to the longitudinal axes of the casings, respectively, and (iii) configured to capture a set of images of the first and second laser lines on the lateral interior surface of each casing; and
a controller programmed to estimate a dimension of each pocket based on a corresponding set of images of the first and second laser lines on a corresponding lateral interior surface of each casing.
2 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein (i) the first angle ranges between 60° and 70° and (ii) the second angle ranges between 60° and 70°.
3 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein (i) the third angle ranges between 20° and 30° and (ii) the fourth angle ranges between 20° and 30°.
4 . The inspection system of claim 1 , wherein (i) the third angle ranges between 30° and 40° and (ii) the fourth angle ranges between 30° and 40°.
5 . The inspection system of claim 1 further comprising third and fourth cameras (i) disposed on the first and second opposing sides of the casings, respectively, (ii) oriented at fifth and sixth angles relative to the longitudinal axes of the casings, respectively, and (iii) configured to capture a second set of images of the first and second laser lines on the lateral interior surface of each casing.
6 . The inspection system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further programmed to estimate the dimension of each pocket based on (i) the corresponding set of images of the first and second laser lines on the corresponding lateral interior surface of each casing and (ii) a corresponding second set of images of the first and second laser lines on the corresponding lateral interior surface of each casing.
7 . The inspection system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further programmed to estimate the dimension of each pocket based on applying a line fitting algorithm to the corresponding first set of images and the corresponding second set of images to generate corresponding first and second diameter estimates, respectively.
8 . The inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the estimated dimension of each pocket is a diameter based on an average of the corresponding first and second diameter estimates.
9 . The inspection system of claim 8 further comprising a conveyance system configured to transport the casings, wherein the controller is further programmed to,
in response to the diameters of the pockets being within a tolerable range, direct the casings in a first direction along the conveyance system, and
in response to the diameters of the pockets being outside of the tolerable range, direct the casings in a second direction along the conveyance system.
10 . The inspection system of claim 7 , wherein the line fitting algorithm is applied to portions of the corresponding first set of images and the corresponding second set of images that include portions of the first and second laser lines as projected onto the lateral interior surface of each casing.
11 . The inspection system of claim 10 , wherein the portions of the first and second laser lines include the apexes of the first and second laser lines.
12 . The inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the portions of the first and second laser lines do not include the outer ends of the first and second laser lines.
13 . The inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the line fitting algorithm is a curve fitting algorithm.
14 . The inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the line fitting algorithm is a regression analysis.
15 . An inspection system for casings comprising:
first and second lasers configured to project first and second laser lines into a pocket defined by each casing and onto a lateral interior surface but not a bottom interior surface of each casing within the corresponding pocket, wherein the first and second laser lines are projected onto the lateral interior surface of each casing along an angle relative to a corresponding longitudinal axis such that a depth at which the first and second laser lines extend into the pocket of each casing along the lateral interior surface of each casing increases from outer ends of the first and second laser lines to apexes of the first and second laser lines;
first and second cameras configured to capture a set of images of the first and second laser lines on the lateral interior surface of each casing; and
a controller programmed to estimate a dimension of the lateral interior surface of each casing based on a corresponding set of images of the first and second laser lines on a corresponding lateral interior surface of each casing.
16 . The inspection system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further programmed to estimate the dimension of each lateral interior surface based on applying a line fitting algorithm to the corresponding set of images to generate at least one corresponding diameter estimate.
17 . The inspection system of claim 16 , wherein the line fitting algorithm is applied to portions of the corresponding set of images that include portions of the first and second laser lines as projected onto the lateral interior surface of each casing.
18 . The inspection system of claim 17 , wherein the portions of the first and second laser lines include the apexes of the first and second laser lines.
19 . The inspection system of claim 18 , wherein the portions of the first and second laser lines do not include the outer ends of the first and second laser lines.
20 . The inspection system of claim 18 , wherein the line fitting algorithm is a regression analysis.