Abstract: Additive manufacturing, such as laser sintering or melting of additive layers, can produce parts rapidly at small volume and in a factory setting. To ensure the additive manufactured parts are of high quality, a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique is required to detect defects while they are being manufactured. The present invention describes an in-situ (real-time) inspection unit that can be added to an existing additive manufacturing (AM) tool, such as an FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine, or a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine, providing real-time information about the part quality, and detecting flaws as they occur. The information provided by this unit is used to a) qualify the part as it is being made, and b) to provide feedback to the AM tool for correction, or to stop the process if the part will not meet the quality, thus saving time, energy and reduce material loss.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing, such as laser sintering or melting of additive layers, can produce parts rapidly at small volume and in a factory setting. To ensure the additive manufactured parts are of high quality, a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique is required to detect defects while they are being manufactured. The present invention describes an in-situ (real-time) inspection unit that can be added to an existing additive manufacturing (AM) tool, such as an FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine, or a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine, providing real-time information about the part quality, and detecting flaws as they occur. The information provided by this unit is used to a) qualify the part as it is being made, and b) to provide feedback to the AM tool for correction, or to stop the process if the part will not meet the quality, thus saving time, energy and reduce material loss.

Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.

Abstract: Various surface and structural defects are currently inspected visually. This method is labor intensive, requiring large maintenance man hours, and is prone to errors. To streamline this process, herein is described an automated inspection system and apparatus based on several optical technologies that drastically reduces inspection time, provides accurate detection of defects, and provides a digital map of the location of defects. The technology uses a sensor that includes a pattern projection generator for generating a pattern image on the structural surface and a camera for detecting the pattern image generated by the pattern projection generator on the structural surface. Furthermore, the technology utilizes an image processing and correction apparatus for performing a pattern image and structural surface defect map correction and generate a distortion corrected defect map for a surface scan area on the structure that is incident on the sensor.

Abstract: Various surface and structural defects are currently inspected visually. This method is labor intensive, requiring large maintenance man hours, and is prone to errors. To streamline this process, herein is described an automated inspection system and apparatus based on several optical technologies that drastically reduces inspection time, provides accurate detection of defects, and provides a digital map of the location of defects. The technology uses multiple sensing/imaging modalities such as ring illumination angular scanning, coherent speckle scanning, multi-spectral imaging such as ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) spectrums, and polarization detection.

Abstract: Various surface and structural defects are currently inspected visually. This method is labor intensive, requiring large maintenance man hours, and is prone to errors. To streamline this process, herein is described an automated inspection system and apparatus based on several optical technologies that drastically reduces inspection time, provides accurate detection of defects, and provides a digital map of the location of defects. The technology uses multiple sensing/imaging modalities such as ring illumination angular scanning, coherent speckle scanning, multi-spectral imaging such as ultraviolet (UV), visible and infrared (IR) spectrums, and polarization detection.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing, such as laser sintering or melting of additive layers, can produce parts rapidly at small volume and in a factory setting. To ensure the additive manufactured parts are of high quality, a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique is required to detect defects while they are being manufactured. The present invention describes an in-situ (real-time) inspection unit that can be added to an existing additive manufacturing (AM) tool, such as an FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine, or a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine, providing real-time information about the part quality, and detecting flaws as they occur. The information provided by this unit is used to a) qualify the part as it is being made, and b) to provide feedback to the AM tool for correction, or to stop the process if the part will not meet the quality, thus saving time, energy and reduce material loss.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing, such as laser sintering or melting of additive layers, can produce parts rapidly at small volume and in a factory setting. To ensure the additive manufactured parts are of high quality, a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique is required to detect defects while they are being manufactured. The present invention describes an in-situ (real-time) inspection unit that can be added to an existing additive manufacturing (AM) tool, such as an FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine, or a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine, providing real-time information about the part quality, and detecting flaws as they occur. The information provided by this unit is used to a) qualify the part as it is being made, and b) to provide feedback to the AM tool for correction, or to stop the process if the part will not meet the quality, thus saving time, energy and reduce material loss.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing, such as laser sintering or melting of additive layers, can produce parts rapidly at small volume and in a factory setting. To ensure the additive manufactured parts are of high quality, a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique is required to detect defects while they are being manufactured. The present invention describes an in-situ (real-time) inspection unit that can be added to an existing additive manufacturing (AM) tool, such as an FDM (fused deposition modeling) machine, or a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine, providing real-time information about the part quality, and detecting flaws as they occur. The information provided by this unit is used to a) qualify the part as it is being made, and b) to provide feedback to the AM tool for correction, or to stop the process if the part will not meet the quality, thus saving time, energy and reduce material loss.

Abstract: A sensor can include a plurality of imaging components configured to perform (1) subsurface imaging by acoustical excitation and optical detection, and (2) interferometric surface topographic measurement.

Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.

Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.

Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.

Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving coins and coin receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The disk-type coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to the coins, and a sorting head having a lower surface adjacent the rotatable disk. The lower surface forms various shaped regions for guiding the coins, under the motion imparted by the rotatable disk, to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A linear array of sensors is mounted to the sorting head and/or the rotatable disk. The sensors examine each coin on the rotatable disk and output a signal indicative of coin image information for processing the coin.

Abstract: Currency processing systems, coin processing machines, and methods of imaging coins are presented herein. A currency processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with an input area for receiving coins and receptacles for stowing processed coins. A disk-type coin processing unit is coupled to the coin input area and coin receptacles. The coin processing unit includes a rotatable disk for imparting motion to coins, and a sorting head adjacent the rotatable disk with shaped regions for guiding moving coins to exit channels through which the coins are discharged to the coin receptacles. A sensor arrangement mounted adjacent the rotatable disk includes one light emitting device for emitting light onto a coin surface at near-normal incidence, and another light emitting device for emitting light onto the coin surface at high-angle incidence. A photodetector senses light reflected off the coin surface and outputs a coin-image signal for processing the coin.

Abstract: A sensor can include a plurality of imaging components configured to perform (1) subsurface imaging by acoustical excitation and optical detection, and (2) interferometric surface topographic measurement.

Abstract: A document processing device includes a controller and a sensor arrangement. The sensor arrangement illuminates a surface of documents. The gradient index lens array collects light reflected from the documents and transmits at least a portion of the collected reflected light onto a photodetector array. The photodetector array generates one or more electrical signals in response to a gradient index lens transmitting light thereon. The controller derives data including image data from the one or more electrical signals. The image data is reproducible as a visually readable image of the surface of the documents. The visually readable image has a resolution such that alphanumeric characters can be extracted from the visually readable image in response to the document remaining within a depth of field of the gradient index lens array while being transported via the transport mechanism. The depth of field is at least about 0.03 inches.

Abstract: A sensor and system combine photo-acoustic sensing with elastic wave modulation to obtain one dimensional and two-dimensional broadband images.

Abstract: A document processing device includes a controller and a sensor arrangement. The sensor arrangement illuminates a surface of documents. The gradient index lens array collects light reflected from the documents and transmits at least a portion of the collected reflected light onto a photodetector array. The photodetector array generates one or more electrical signals in response to a gradient index lens transmitting light thereon. The controller derives data including image data from the one or more electrical signals. The image data is reproducible as a visually readable image of the surface of the documents. The visually readable image has a resolution such that alphanumeric characters can be extracted from the visually readable image in response to the document remaining within a depth of field of the gradient index lens array while being transported via the transport mechanism. The depth of field is at least about 0.03 inches.

Abstract: A currency processing device for receiving a stack of U.S. currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of U.S.