Three-dimensional surface inspection system using two-dimensional images and method

A three-dimensional surface inspection system, comprising:

• a measurement stage on which a component is placed for three-dimensional capturing;
• and the system has at least one reference mark for reference to the component and a position of the component at the measurement stage;
• a camera system at various selected locations, the camera system comprising a respective camera at least at some of the locations and/or a camera positionable at least at some of the locations, and the cameras and/or camera of the camera system are configured and oriented to take two-dimensional recordings of the component;
• and
• a computer with a memory programmed with a three-dimensional model of the component, the computer memory is further programmed and operable to receive the two-dimensional recordings and to compare the two-dimensional recordings of the component by the camera system to the stored three-dimensional model, and to produce a three-dimensional model of the component to be measured using best fit of the two-dimensional recordings and the stored three-dimensional model.