JP2007205827A - Device performing visual inspection with image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily enlarge the outer surface of a small article so as to select and remove a failure article having a micro flaw, a dirt, a crack, or foreign substance mixing through visual inspection by visual observation of the small article. <P>SOLUTION: A commercially available video camera with an optical zoom is directly connected to a television or a personal computer for projecting a television image. The outer surface of the small article is photographed as a continuous image in the enlarged state of it on a display, and the visual inspection is performed with a feeling of watching television. One commercially available digital video camera of an optical zoom to 25× scale factor is combined with a television display of 14 inches or more for projecting the television image, or a desktop PC that projects the television image, performs image processing, and is connected to the Internet. The small article is visually inspected by watching the continuous image on the display while the small article is moved in the the X and Y axes or rotated on a table. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

In the present invention, the surface of a part or the like manufactured in a part production line is visually or visually observed through a magnifier and a stereomicroscope to check for scratches, deformations, alterations, omissions, contamination, etc. In order to guarantee the function and quality of the parts, the parts / ranges that have the above defects are regarded as small items that can be used for the purpose of sorting out items out of the line. In recent years, there has been a growing demand for high quality sorting with the focus on safety first in the appearance inspection process for parts, and conventional 2 × 4 × magnification inspection via naked eye (1 ×), magnifier, etc. In the current appearance inspection method, there is a function and quality-related problem, such as the fact that there are abnormal products from the customer side that are extremely small so that it is difficult to find. It becomes impossible to handle guarantees and throughput Have you, but in the market, apparatus having a high processing capability at a low cost, which is the answer to these needs is not the situation.
Therefore, a combination of several commercially available products for small parts that can be adapted to the shape of the parts, and by magnifying the small parts, the new function as an appearance inspection device that performs images is a collection of commercial products. It is a thing to give to.

Conventional visual inspection work rarely involves magnifying and observing parts, and when the magnification is increased, the processing capacity decreases in proportion to the increase, and this has led to an increase in cost. In addition, it can not be said that it is possible to add cost to quality assurance, and if it does not make abnormal products, it is an essentially unnecessary process. Therefore, as long as there are abnormal products, visual inspection is required and the inspection magnification is increased. If the magnification is 10x or higher, observation with a stereomicroscope becomes difficult.

In addition, when observing under a microscope, continuous work will cause fatigue and damage to the eyes, so a break of 15 to 30 minutes is required every 1 to 2 hours. Is necessary, but it is difficult to have it adopted because it leads to deterioration of management.

When shifting to high-magnification appearance inspection, it is necessary to present a limit sample to the customer if any defect is an abnormal product, but it takes a minimum of two days to create a microphotograph of the limit sample and deliver it to the customer. Is required. All presentation of photographic materials requires a period of synchronization, and it is a big problem that it cannot be presented immediately.

In the present invention, the above-mentioned problems, 1, high magnification appearance inspection is difficult.・ 2, High-magnification visual inspection equipment is expensive and overuses the eyes.・ 3. It takes at least 2 days to create and submit a photomicrograph of the limit sample. 4. The purpose is to solve the problem that a large amount of appearance inspection personnel is required to secure the processing amount.

The above-mentioned problems should be solved when the visual inspection should determine whether the visible product is a good product or an abnormal product, but there is a tendency that the quality of the product is improved and consumers strongly demand safety. Because it is an era when it is in an era where only non-defective items are judged on the market by judging the things that are not visible, I thought that it would be solved if the parts were enlarged and made visible It is a thing. I knew that when I connected the camcorder directly to the TV, I knew that what the camcorder captured would appear directly on the TV display as a continuous image, so I installed an optical zoom lens with a magnification of 2x to 25x. Since the small parts captured by the video camera are large and appear directly on the display as continuous images, it is the same everyday thing as watching a TV screen, so the burden on the eyes is drastically reduced and visual inspection is performed. It becomes easy and problems 1 and 2 are solved.
I don't know if this method is unknown or ignored by the video camera and television industry, but it should be widely recognized.

Next, the human eye is immediately focused on the object to be viewed, but a video camera that can magnify the subject to 25x magnification does not have a focusing function like the human eye. You have to add something to replace the focus function. It is possible to fix the position of the video camera so that the relationship between the small parts once focused and the video camera can be reproduced, and place a jig that can replace the small parts at the focal length position. As a result, the processing amount up to a certain amount can be secured and Problem 4 has been solved.

Next, although it depends on the production volume of small parts, it seems that there are 4 to 8 people in a large factory, and dozens of kinds of parts are inspected. The color TV display image is used. When there are 5 or more displays, select a desktop computer connected to the Internet that can display TV images and process images. Create a limit sample image of each small part, or create an image of an abnormal product and advertise it to the customer if they are inspecting to find such defective products. The created image may be distributed to the customer over the Internet. Problem 3 will be solved because it will be possible. The image processing magnification can be enlarged up to 25x with a video camera, and up to 100x with digital still image processing in PC software.

The visual inspection system using the image of the present invention is a means that can greatly expand the area of visual inspection work to determine and judge whether the product is good or defective within a short time with the human eye. . This can reduce the physical fatigue of appearance inspection personnel and change it into safe work ... I am convinced that it can contribute to enriching human society.

In the following, an embodiment of an appearance inspection apparatus using images according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to FIG. The visual inspection apparatus using the image of FIG. 1 basically has 3) a commercially available optical zoom camera up to 25 × magnification and 2) a visual inspection with a display of 14 inches or more on which a TV image is displayed. can. However, in this situation, only a very small amount can be processed for focusing, so 7) a video camera Z-axis adjustable fixed base, 6) an XY-axis table, and 5) a small parts turntable are added. 4) Put small parts on the table and move them in the X and Y axes, or 5) Put the rotary table on the table without moving the table, and set the focal length. 2) Look at the image on the display. Appearance inspection is performed 4) Small parts are replaced. In this way, the objects gathered on the table are the basic form of the visual inspection device that performs images.

If there are more than 4 sets of visual inspection equipment, the next step is to select a desktop computer connected to the Internet that can display TV images and process images, not a TV. In addition, the limit sample that was presented to the customer when the small parts were selected directly with the eyes was not presented as a small part, but an enlarged image of the small part was presented to the customer as a limit sample, thereby enhancing the trust of the customer. Is to get. It is not a conventional photo that takes a long time, but an image that appears on a computer display is processed immediately and delivered quickly to the customer over the Internet. The image can be saved and submitted as a document at any time. It is.

The next step is 5) turntable. 6) XY axis table. 7) Video camera Z-axis adjustable fixed base. Instead of manual operation, a drive device such as a motor / cylinder ball screw is added to supply and discharge small parts semi-automatically or fully to increase the amount of visual inspection.

In the next step, visual inspection is performed on the continuous images of small parts appearing on the display as they are, but the visual inspection software is used so that this image is numerically controlled by a computer and visual inspection is performed on a personal computer. It is to introduce and fully automate the appearance inspection. The goal is to free humans from visual inspections and other tasks that people perform visually.

Visual inspection equipment using images consists of an assembly of almost all commercial items made of inexpensive products.

Explanation of symbols

1, PC set (TV images are shown).
2, display.
3. Video camera with optical zoom lens (with light source).
4, small parts.
5, turntable.
6, XY axis table.
7. Video camera Z-axis adjustable fixed base.

Claims (3)

There are two types of visual inspection devices that use images: a video camera that captures images and a television that displays images. The magnified image of the small parts captured with a video camera with a light source equipped with an optical zoom lens with a magnification of 2x to 25x is used to see the magnified surface of the small parts. Without connecting an empty camcorder directly to the TV, I knew that what the camcorder lens captured would appear directly on the TV display as a continuous image, so I could easily get an enlarged image. Then, the video camera fixing base and accessory parts that hold the focal length between the video camera and the accessory parts are taken so that images of the accessory parts can be obtained stably from one to the next. The XY axis table and small parts that can be moved continuously are on top of this, and the turntable to be turned around. Besides the power supply and the light source if necessary, most of the main items are composed of inexpensive commercial items. It is a collective. A new function was added to the commercial product assembly as a visual inspection device using images. The visual inspection device using the core image is a magnified image of small parts captured and captured by a video camera equipped with an optical zoom lens with a magnification of 2x to 25x in order to enlarge and view the surface of the small parts. In order to use it effectively, it has an image processing function and a personal computer type display that can capture TV images as the core. This is because the use of the Internet is the most important way to fill the world with image processing information, asking why we have neglected a function that we have to cherish. And we will develop and use excellent image processing technology software from the obtained information to rescue people who are struggling with the appearance inspection work now. For this purpose, it is possible to determine the boundary between non-defective products and defective products based on the data obtained by processing the enlarged image with a personal computer and determine the image that flows from the next, and to perform visual inspection without relying on human visual inspection. As mentioned above, the visual inspection system using core images is not just a function for visual inspection with enlarged images. For example, image processing has great advantages over photomicrographs. In addition, information can be provided immediately using the Internet for direct images. In this way, we have hints that can be used greatly in the photographic society and the information society.

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