Profile inspection system for threaded and axial components

An inspection system for a component having a length, a width, and an axis, the system comprising:

• a rotatable fixture for holding and rotating the component so that the held component rotates with the fixture during a rotational scan and the held component does not move along its length during a linear scan;
• a light source disposed on a first side of the fixture to project a plane of light having a width wider than the width of the component onto one side of the held component to obtain left and right portions of the projected plane of light passing by and not blocked by the held component;
• an optical detector disposed on a second side of the fixture opposite the first side and the other side of the held component, the detector having a field of view in the form of inspection plane wider than the width of the component to detect the left and right portions, thereby enabling the detector to image left and right portions of the outer edges of the held component and to provide corresponding electrical signals representative of left and right outer profiles of the component imaged by the detector;
• a translation stage for supporting the light source and the detector on the opposite first and second sides of the fixture and for linearly moving the light source and detector in unison along the length of the component during the linear scan wherein the axis is substantially perpendicular to the plane of light throughout the entire linear scan;
• and
• a processor in communication with the detector, the fixture and the translation stage, the processor:
• rotating the fixture to cause the held component to rotate about the axis during the rotational scan;
• linearly moving the translation stage in a direction parallel to the axis of and along the length of the held component during the linear scan;
• receiving electrical signals at known linear increments of movement of the light source and the detector along the length of the component during the linear scan and at known angular increments of movement of the held component about the axis during the rotational scan;
• recording the left and right outer profiles imaged by the detector at each known increment based on the electrical signals, the recorded left and right outer profiles representing composite profiles including a thread pattern of the component wherein an external surface of the component which extends completely around the component is inspected without the need to detect a portion of the plane of light blocked or reflected by the component;
• generating a plurality of virtual wires that interact with the thread pattern of the composite profiles;
• and
• calculating at least one thread parameter associated with threads of the component as a function of the interaction.