Multipoint inspection system

A multipoint inspection system for evaluating manufactured assemblies, the system comprising:

• a robot including a robotic arm and a robot controller for controlling the robotic arm;
• a camera mounted to an end of the robotic arm, the camera including a camera controller for capturing images;
• a central controller in communication with the robot controller and the camera controller, the central controller providing a positioning signal to the robot controller and a capture image signal to the camera controller, the robot controller causing the robotic arm to position the camera at a first inspection point in response to the positioning signal, the camera controller causing the camera to capture a first inspection point image of a manufactured assembly at the first inspection point and provide an indication to the central controller as to whether the first inspection point image was acceptable, the robotic controller then causing the robotic arm to position the camera at a next inspection point, wherein the camera controller then causes the camera to capture a next inspection point image of the manufactured assembly at the next inspection point and provide an indication to the central controller as to whether the next inspection point image was acceptable;
• and
• a system controller in communication with the central controller, wherein the system controller provides a signal to the central controller that indicates which of a plurality of manufactured assemblies is to be inspected.

A method for performing multipoint inspection of a manufactured assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a robotic arm that includes a camera attached to an end of the robotic arm such that the camera is at a first inspection point;
• capturing a first inspection point image of a manufactured assembly at the first inspection point;
• determining whether the first inspection point image was acceptable;
• positioning the camera at a next inspection point;
• capturing a next inspection point image of the manufactured assembly at the next inspection point;
• and
• determining whether the next inspection point image was acceptable.