Abstract: A surface inspection system including, a detection circuit for detecting an image of a surface fault in a runing sheet material, a fault area judgement circuit connected to the detection circuit for receiving the image and for determining a fault area including a cluster fault composed of the same type of fault parts, and a recognition circuit connected to the detection circuit for receiving the image, connected to the fault area judgement circuit for receiving the fault area, and for recognizing a type and a grade of the cluster fault included in the fault area.

Abstract: A surface shape measurement device for measuring a surface shape of a measurement subject. The device includes a scanner for scanning the surface of the measurement subject with a light point, a lens for focusing an image of the light point on the surface of the measurement subject and a slit plate arranged at a position of a focal plane of the light point and having a plurality of apertures on a locus of the image of the light point. The device further includes a photoelectric converter arranged at a position to receive the light passing through the aperture for converting the light into a pulse signal and a signal processing circuit connected to receive the pulse signal for determining a position of the light point on the surface of the measurement subject based on a time-point of generation of the pulse signal, whereby the surface shape of the measurement subject is measured based on the position determined by the signal processing circuit.

Abstract: A surface inspection apparatus used for inspecting defects of sheet material surfaces includes an optical scanner, a lens unit, a filter, and a photoelectric converter. The lens unit has a plurality of convex lenses arranged in the scanning direction of the optical scanner and adjoining each other. Partitions are arranged in the direction perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the convex lenses, extending from both ends of the lens unit and from the adjoining portions between the adjoining convex lenses towards the filter.