Infrared detection of composite article components

A system for inspecting a composite article having first and second panels in at least partially opposed, overlapping engagement with each other and having an underlying edge, said system for determining whether the panels of the article are present and/or properly positioned, said system comprising:

• a radiation source for irradiating the overlapping engagement of the panels with radiation;
• a detector for producing an image from radiation received from the irradiated panels;
• and
• an image analyzer operatively connected to the detector for identifying in the image a presence and/or position of the underlying edge and for comparing the identified presence and/or position of the underlying edge with a predetermined data to thereby determine whether the underlying edge is present and/or properly positioned in the composite article.

A process of detecting one or more components in a composite article, the process comprising:

• irradiating the composite article with infrared radiation;
• producing an image from infrared radiation received from the irradiated composite article;
• identifying a position in the produced image corresponding to an edge position of a first component in the composite article;
• and
• comparing the identified position with predetermined position data to thereby determine whether the first component is present 10 and/or properly positioned in the composite article.

A system for detecting one or more components in a composite article, the process comprising:

• an infrared radiation source for irradiating the composite article with infrared radiation;
• an infrared detector for producing an image from infrared radiation received from the irradiated composite article;
• and
• an image analyzer operatively connected to the infrared detector for identifying a position in the produced image corresponding to an edge position of a first component in the composite article and for comparing the identified position with predetermined position data to thereby determine whether the first component is present and/or properly positioned in the composite article.

A process of inspecting a composite article having first and second panels in at least partially opposed, overlapping engagement with each other and having an edge, said process to determine whether the panels of the article are properly positioned, said process comprising:

• irradiating the overlapping engagement of the panels with radiation;
• producing an image from radiation received from the irradiated panels;
• defining a window in the image;
• scanning the defined window to determine a position of the edge;
• redefining the window in the event that the edge is not located within the defined window during the scanning of the defined window;
• and
• comparing the determined position of the edge with a predetermined data to thereby determine whether the edge is properly positioned in the composite article.

A system for inspecting a composite article having first and second panels in at least partially opposed, overlapping engagement with each other and having an edge, said system for determining whether the panels of the article are properly positioned, said system comprising:

• a radiation source for irradiating the overlapping engagement of the panels with radiation;
• a detector for producing an image from radiation received from the irradiated panels;
• and
• an image analyzer operatively connected to the detector for defining a window in the image, for scanning the defined window to determine a position of the edge, for redefining the window in the event that the edge is not located within the defined window during the scanning of the defined window, and for comparing the determined position of the edge with a predetermined data to thereby determine whether the edge is properly positioned in the composite article.