Abstract: A method and apparatus that linearly scans at least one plane of radiation having a width wider than the diameter of the part onto an exterior side surface of the supported part so that the part occludes the at least one plane of radiation at a plurality of spaced apart locations. The invention includes forming a virtual representation of an outer profile of the part in a reference frame based on the input data and providing a virtual representation of an inner bore of a physical gauge in the reference frame. Then determining an interference position between the part and the gauge using the virtual representations wherein the interference position is a position along the axis where the bore diameter is substantially equal to the part diameter. Finally calculating a distance along the axis based on the interference position and storing the distance.

Abstract: A method for optically inspecting a part having a length, a diameter and an axis is provided. The method includes supporting the part. The method further includes linearly scanning at least one plane of radiation having a width wider than the diameter of the part onto an exterior side surface of the supported part so that the part occludes the at least one plane of radiation at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the axis to create unobstructed left and right planar portions of the at least one plane of radiation passing by and not blocked by the part. The unobstructed left and right planar portions contain an amount of radiation which is representative of a respective diameter of the part at the plurality of spaced apart locations.

Abstract: A method for precisely measuring position of a part to be inspected at a part inspection station is provided. The method includes positioning a part having a part axis relative to a measurement axis at the part inspection station and scanning the positioned part with an array of planes of radiation so that the part occludes each of the planes of radiation over a measurement interval of the part to create a corresponding array of unobstructed planar portions of the planes of radiation. Each of the unobstructed planar portions contains an amount of radiation which is representative of a respective geometric dimension of the part. The method also includes measuring the amount of radiation present in each of the unobstructed planar portions to obtain measurement signals and processing the measurement signals to obtain a geometric measurement between the axes at the measurement interval. The geometric measurement may be a distance between the axes or angle between the axes.

Abstract: A method for precisely measuring position of a part to be inspected at a part inspection station is provided. The method includes positioning a part having a part axis relative to a measurement axis at the part inspection station and scanning the positioned part with an array of planes of radiation so that the part occludes each of the planes of radiation over a measurement interval of the part to create a corresponding array of unobstructed planar portions of the planes of radiation. Each of the unobstructed planar portions contains an amount of radiation which is representative of a respective geometric dimension of the part. The method also includes measuring the amount of radiation present in each of the unobstructed planar portions to obtain measurement signals and processing the measurement signals to obtain a geometric measurement between the axes at the measurement interval. The geometric measurement may be a distance between the axes or angle between the axes.