Dimensional detection system and associated method

An apparatus structured to characterize a workpiece, the apparatus comprising

• a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source, an image collection device, and a control system;
• the control system being operable to cause the focused light source to project a beam onto the workpiece;
• the control system being operable to cause the image collection device to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images;
• the control system being operable to cause the number of images to be communicated to an image analysis device that having access to a calibration data set;
• the control system having available thereto one or more routines which, when executed by the control system, cause the measurement apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• projecting at least one beam onto the workpiece;
• capturing an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the at least one beam on the workpiece;
• employing from the calibration data set data that corresponds with the at least one beam to convert at least some of the illuminated pixels of the image into a number of points in space that are each representative of a point on a surface of the workpiece;
• and
• processing the points in space in a predetermined fashion to generate the characterization of the workpiece.

A method of characterizing a workpiece with the use of a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source that is structured to project a beam onto the workpiece, an image collection device that is structured to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images, and an image analysis device that has access to a calibration data set, the image collection device and the image analysis device being in electronic communication, the method comprising:

• projecting a plurality of beams each being sequentially projected and oriented at a predetermined angle from among a plurality of predetermined angles oblique to vertical;
• capturing for each beam of at least some of the plurality of beams an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the beam on the workpiece;
• for each image, employing from the calibration data set data that are associated with the predetermined angle of the beam to convert at least some of the illuminated pixels of the image into a number of points in space that are each representative of a point on the surface of the workpiece;
• and
• processing the points in space in a predetermined fashion to generate the characterization of the workpiece.

An apparatus structured to characterize a workpiece, the apparatus comprising

• a measurement apparatus that comprises a focused light source, an image collection device, and a control system;
• the control system being operable to cause the focused light source to project a beam onto the workpiece;
• the control system being operable to cause the image collection device to detect a reflection of the beam on the workpiece and to generate a number of images;
• the control system being operable to cause the number of images to be communicated to an image analysis device that having access to a calibration data set;
• the control system having available thereto one or more routines which, when executed by the control system, cause the measurement apparatus to perform operations comprising:
• projecting a plurality of beams each being sequentially projected and oriented at a predetermined angle from among a plurality of predetermined angles oblique to vertical;
• capturing for each beam of at least some of the plurality of beams an image that comprises a number of illuminated pixels representative of at least a portion of the beam on the workpiece;
• for each image, employing from the calibration data set data that are associated with the predetermined angle of the beam to convert at least some of the illuminated pixels of the image into a number of points in space that are each representative of a point on the surface of the workpiece;
• and
• processing the points in space in a predetermined fashion to generate the characterization of the workpiece.