The Foreign Object Detection System is a quality control system for detecting foreign objects on simple surfaces, but also on demanding surfaces such as high-voltage batteries. The scalable system makes it possible to test a wide range of surfaces, regardless of their structure, texture and color. 3D cameras and the laser triangulation method ensure consistently high inspection quality. It maps surfaces three-dimensionally, thus detecting even the smallest foreign objects of the most varied shapes. In addition, customer-specific requirements can be integrated into the system, such as the detection of missing or incorrectly positioned screws.
The system works using the laser triangulation principle, which enables precise detection of foreign objects based on 3D images of the test object. It allows for reliable inspection of simple and challenging surfaces and is not sensitive to changes in texture and color. A typical inspection period lasts about 25 seconds*.
*(BEV 2,200 mm long × 1,700 mm wide)
The detection tasks of the Foreign Object Detection System can optionally be extending by functionality for recognizing screws and detecting adhesive and sealant beads. Both of these contribute to a reduction in the false positive rate and can be integrated without any additional hardware.
Optional: Missing or incorrectly positioned screws are detected without the need for additional hardware.
Imprecisely applied adhesive and sealing beads, which can lead to false alarms, can be reliably detected, as can foreign objects directly on adhesive and sealing beads.
The system inspects surfaces with different colors, structures and textures. This means it is suitable for light, dark, smooth, ribbed, calotted, glossy, matte and other surfaces.
Detection of wrinkles on calotted or foil-wrapped surfaces prevents false errors. Inaccuracies due to skewed or uneven test object structures can be avoided using the plane transformation function.
Even very small foreign objects of various shapes, colors and sizes, such as screws, nuts or tools, are reliably detected. Typical detection size: 4 mm x 4 mm x 2 mm (L/W/H).
The system delivers reliable inspection results by flexibly adapting the optics to different requirements, for example using different laser colors and focal lengths. Individual test criteria and test regions can be stored and called up depending on the production processes to quickly and easily change test objects. It does not matter whether the test objects are transported with automated guided vehicle systems or other common conveyor technologies.
The system head consists of Ranger3 3D vision cameras from SICK as well as a laser. The individual setting of the fields of view as well as the factory pre-calibration, complete alignment and commissioning processes are carried out by SICK, thereby ensuring a high degree of planning certainty.
Individually adjustable test regions enable targeted inspection, especially for test objects with large and complex surfaces. The control panel supports quick identification of foreign objects by visualizing the respective test regions.
Test objects of all sizes can be tested with the scalable system head. At the same time, shading on complex surfaces is reliably minimized.
The integrated SICK Sensor Integration Machine records, evaluates and archives camera and sensor data. This can be used for quality control and process analysis for vertical integration in Industry 4.0.
