Range camera on conveyor belts: estimating size distribution and systematic errors due to occlusion

Mats Blomquist; Ake V. Wernersson

doi:10.1117/12.370252

16 November 1999 Range camera on conveyor belts: estimating size distribution and systematic errors due to occlusion

Mats Blomquist, Ake V. Wernersson

Proceedings Volume 3835, Three-Dimensional Imaging, Optical Metrology, and Inspection V; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.370252
Event: Photonics East '99, 1999, Boston, MA, United States

Abstract

When range cameras are used for analyzing irregular material on a conveyor belt there will be complications like missing segments caused by occlusion. Also, a number of range discontinuities will be present. In a frame work towards stochastic geometry, conditions are found for the cases when range discontinuities take place. The test objects in this paper are pellets for the steel industry. An illuminating laser plane will give range discontinuities at the edges of each individual object. These discontinuities are used to detect and measure the chord created by the intersection of the laser plane and the object. From the measured chords we derive the average diameter and its variance. An improved method is to use a pair of parallel illuminating light planes to extract two chords. The estimation error for this method is not larger than the natural shape fluctuations (the difference in diameter) for the pellets. The laser- camera optronics is sensitive enough both for material on a conveyor belt and free falling material leaving the conveyor.

Citation Download Citation

Mats Blomquist and Ake V. Wernersson "Range camera on conveyor belts: estimating size distribution and systematic errors due to occlusion", Proc. SPIE 3835, Three-Dimensional Imaging, Optical Metrology, and Inspection V, (16 November 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.370252

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available