Caster mold measurements using a scanning range finder
AssigneeProcess Metrix
InventorsMichel Pierre Bonin, Thomas Lawrence Harvill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for the characterization of the integrity and profile measurement of a caster mold by use of a scanning device, a positioning fixture, and a data reduction device connected to the scanning device, the data reduction device being configured to characterize the integrity and to measure the profile of the caster mold by comparing scanned distances to reference distance values.
Claims21
An apparatus for measuring a profile of a caster mold, the apparatus, comprising:
- a scanning device having a laser, optics, a scanner, a photodetector, and receiver electronics, the scanning device being configured to measure distances from a position of the scanning device to a plurality of points on internal surfaces of the caster mold, the caster mold having front and back faces separated from each other by two side faces disposed at end portions of the front and back faces so as to define a cavity of the caster mold, said cavity having a centerline plane defined by a plane generally parallel to the front and back faces bisecting the two side faces of the caster mold;
- a fixture to which the scanning device is attached to, the fixture being configured to position the scanning device with respect to the caster mold;
- and
- a data reduction device connected to the scanning device, the data reduction device being configured to measure the profile of the caster mold by comparing the measured distances to reference distance values, wherein, said optics are configured to control an ellipticity of a beam profile of the laser incident onto locations of the plurality of points on the internal surfaces of the caster mold, said ellipticity varying depending on the locations of the plurality of points on the internal surfaces of the caster mold.
A method for characterizing the integrity and measuring a profile of a caster mold, the method, comprising:
- positioning a scanning device with respect to the caster mold by use of a fixture, the scanning device having a laser, optics, a scanner, a photodetector, and receiver electronics;
- scanning a plurality of distances from a known position of the scanning device to a plurality of points on internal surfaces of the caster mold, the caster mold having two opposing broad faces separated from each other by two opposing narrow faces disposed at end portions of the broad faces so as to define a cavity of the caster mold, said cavity having a centerline plane defined by a plane generally parallel to the broad faces bisecting the two narrow faces of the caster mold;
- and
- comparing the plurality of distances to reference distances, wherein said optics are configured to control an ellipticity of a beam profile of the laser incident onto locations of the plurality of points on the internal surfaces of the caster mold, said ellipticity varying depending on the locations of the plurality of points on the internal surfaces of the caster mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.