Electro-optical gaging system having dual cameras on a scanner

An electro-optical system for gaging two dimensions of a moving bar at various peripheral positions of the bar, comprising:

• (a) first and second electronic camera head means aimed to receive first and second images of the moving bar on a central portion of an electronically scanned image responsive device and generate corresponding first and second raw camera signals, each image responsive device having one or more calibration masks alongside the central portion thereof, each raw camera signal having at least one error;
• (b) scanner means adapted to scan the first and second electronic camera head means about the lateral profile of the bar a prescribed angular displacement while generating a scanner position signal;
• (c) means for controlling movement of the scanner means;
• (d) electronic circuit means including means for processing the first and second raw camera signals to produce corresponding first and second bar size pulses, each first and second bar size pulse having at least one said error, said first and second electronic circuit means further including a sweep generator for driving the scanning of each image responsive device, and means for offsetting the scan from a central sweep to a calibration mask;
• (e) calculator means assimilating the first and second bar size pulses, the scanner position signal and at least one corresponding error-compensating signal for:
• 1. compensating each bar size pulse for one or more sources of error as a function of a corresponding one or more error-compensating signals, thereby to produce corresponding first and second corrected bar size pulses,
• 2. calibrating the gaging system using a standard bar,
• 3. recalibrating the gaging system without a bar by controlling the selection and use of a calibration mask,
• 4. plotting bar profile using either calibrated or recalibrated first and second bar size pulses and scanner position signals, and
• 5. storing the bar profile data and optionally either the calibrated or recalibrated first and second bar size data;
• and
• (f) means for utilizing the stored data to indicate and/or record recalibrated bar profile and, if desired, each recalibrated bar size measurement.

An electro-optical method of gaging two dimensions of a moving bar at various peripheral positions, which method comprises:

• (a) imaging a moving bar upon first and second electronic cameras head means and generating corresponding first and second raw camera signals, each raw camera signal having at least one error;
• (b) scanning the lateral profile of said bar with the first and second electronic cameras head means while traversing a predetermined angular displacement and generating a scanning position signal;
• (c) controlling scanning means movement;
• (d) processing the first and second raw camera signals to produce corresponding first and second bar size pulses which represent the two bar dimensions;
• (e) assimilating the first and second bar size pulses, the scanner position signal, and at least one error-compensating signal, and calculating:
• 1. correction factors to compensate the first and second bar size pulses for one or more sources of error as a function of corresponding one or more error compensating signals, and subsequently producing corresponding first and second corrected bar size pulses,
• 2. a plot of bar profile using the first and second corrected bar size signals and the scanner means position signal, and storing the bar profile data and optionally the corrected first and second bar size data;
• and
• (f) utilizing the stored data to indicate and/or record bar profile and, if desired, each bar size measurement.