Method and system for controlling a laser profiler

A system for controlling a laser profiler, the laser profiler being configured for generating a laser line on a surface to be inspected and comprising at least a laser and a camera, the system comprising:

• an intensity determining unit for:
• receiving an image of the laser line on the surface to be inspected;
• and
• determining an actual intensity of the laser line from the received image;
• an amplification factor calculator for:
• receiving a target intensity for the laser line;
• and
• calculating an amplification factor for the laser line based on the actual intensity of the laser line, the target intensity for the laser line, a power of the laser, a camera gain of the camera and an exposure time of the laser line on the surface to be inspected, the amplification factor allowing the actual intensity of the laser line to reach the target intensity while minimizing the power of the laser;
• and
• a controller for:
• adjusting at least one parameter of the laser profiler based on the calculated amplification factor, so that the actual intensity of the laser line corresponds to the target intensity.

A computer program product comprising a non-volatile computer readable memory storing computer executable instructions thereon that when executed by a computer perform steps of:

• receiving an image of the laser line on the surface to be inspected;
• determining an actual intensity of the laser line from the received image;
• calculating an amplification factor for the laser line based on the actual intensity of the laser line, a target intensity for the laser line, a power of the laser, a camera gain of the camera and an exposure time of the laser line on the surface to be inspected, the amplification factor allowing the actual intensity of the laser line to reach the target intensity while minimizing the power of the laser;
• and
• outputting the calculated amplification factor.