Abstract: A calibration system within an optical inspection apparatus comprising a sensor, lens, fiducials, and a CPU. The CPU is configured to receive information from the sensor relating to the fiducial coordinate system and the sensor coordinate system, and the fiducials are used to determine a physical relationship between the sensor coordinates and fiducial coordinates. The calibration system has a means for calibrating the inspection system and measuring critical dimensions of an object in an accurate manner on-the-fly without additional set-up or manual calibration of the system.

Abstract: A calibration system within an optical inspection apparatus comprising a sensor, lens, fiducials, and a CPU. The CPU is configured to receive information from the sensor relating to the fiducial coordinate system and the sensor coordinate system, and the fiducials are used to determine a physical relationship between the sensor coordinates and fiducial coordinates. The calibration system has a means for calibrating the inspection system and measuring critical dimensions of an object in an accurate manner on-the-fly without additional set-up or manual calibration of the system.

Abstract: The coplanarity of leads (14) of an integrated circuit (IC) in a surface-mount technology package (SMT) (10) can be determined by means of a plurality of views without the use of a conventional pedestal (20), without the use of an associated Z-axis actuator, and without the associated delays required to deploy such a Z-axis actuator. In the invention, three leads (14) of SMT package (10) are arbitrarily selected to define a virtual reference plane (50) in a first or virtual coordinate system, and the positions of the unselected leads are measured with reference to the virtual reference plane (50). For convenience, the virtual reference plane (50) can be defined as Z=0 and may have height coordinates in Z that are negative or positive with respect to the virtual reference plane (50). The virtual coordinates are analyzed, and three leads (14) having the lowest Z coordinates are determined to define a virtual sitting plane (60).

Abstract: An algorithm is disclosed which effectively removes the knurled annular portion on the bottom of a glass or plastic bottle which is located at an inspection location where diffused light is shown through the bottom of the bottle and is observed by a camera looking down through the bottle opening. The annular area is unwrapped and differenced to eliminate the knurling so that defects can be defined.

Abstract: A machine for inspecting containers is disclosed which has a number of adjustable structures such as the focus, orientation and zoom of a camera and mirrors which are used to direct an image to the sensor of the camera. The computer defines a gage for each adjustment and sequentially activates the gages on the computer screen.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting a vertically standing container comprising a conveyor for horizontally displacing a vertically standing glass container through spaced inspection locations, a first pair of diffused light sources located behind the conveyor for forwardly directing angularly related beams of light substantially horizontally at a container located at one of the inspection locations, the beams being sufficiently large so that the light beams will pass around the entire profile of a container located at the first inspection location, a first two dimensional camera having an imaging surface on the other side of the conveyor, and first means for redirecting the forwardly directed beams to corresponding halves of the imaging surface, a second pair of diffused light sources located in front of the conveyor for rearwardly directing angularly related beams of light substantially horizontally at a container located at the other one of the inspection locations, the beams being sufficiently large so th

Abstract: A machine for inspecting the bottom of a glass container having an opening at the top thereof comprising deliverance of a glass container to an inspection station, the inspection station including a two dimensional camera having an imaging surface, viewing the bottom of the glass container through the opening thereof and focusing the viewed bottom on the imaging surface, computer for evaluating the viewed bottom imaged on the imaging surface and for illuminating the bottom of the glass container including a source of light for collimating light from the light source, diffusing the collimated light including two glass sheets each having a ground surface, the sheet being selectively locatable to define at least two spacings between the ground surface.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting the circumference of a vertically standing container comprising means for conveying a vertically standing container through an inspection location including means for directing a beam of collimated light vertically downwardly towards the container, the beam having a configuration selected so that when the container is located at the inspection location the periphery of the beam will be spaced from the circumference of the container, two dimensional camera means for axially viewing the profile of the vertical projection of a container at the inspection location, and image processing means for evaluating the circumference of the profile viewed by the two dimensional camera and accepting or rejecting the container including means for defining the center of the acquired image, and means for remapping the perimeter of the acquired image into at least one two-dimensional rectangular area bisected by an imaginary line representing the perimeter of an ideal container in vertical p

Abstract: A machine for inspecting the bottom of a glass container having an opening at the top thereof comprising means for delivering a glass container to an inspection station, the inspection station including a two dimensional camera having an imaging surface for viewing the bottom of the glass container through the opening of the bottle, a light source for directing light through the bottom of the container towards the imaging surface, a computer for evaluating the viewed bottom imaged on the imaging surface, and means for reducing the dynamic brightness range for the viewed bottom image including a spatial modulator located between the imaging surface and the light source and the computer complimenting and transferring the image of the glass container on the imaging surface to the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting the outer surface of a vertically standing container comprising a transparent convey for conveying a vertically standing container through an inspection location. The support conveyor includes a diffuser plate located to be beneath a conveyed container at the inspection location. A beam of collimated light is directed vertically downwardly towards the diffuser plate, and a two-dimensional camera axially views the bottom of the container above the diffuser plate, and the image is processed to evaluate the circumference of the container.

Abstract: An inspection machine for inspecting the profile of a vertically standing glass bottle comprising a conveyor for horizontally displacing a vertically standing glass container through an inspection location, a pair of diffused light sources located behind the conveyor for directing beams of light horizontally at a container located at the inspection location, the beams being sufficiently large so that the light beams will pass around the entire profile of a container located at the inspection station, a mirror pair located in front of the conveyor for receiving each of the light beams and redirecting the beam rearwardly, a reflecting prism having a pair of angularly related reflecting surfaces, a two-dimensional camera having an imaging surface, a pair of mirrors for receiving the beams redirected from each of the mirror pairs and redirecting the received beams to reflect off a corresponding one of the prism reflecting surfaces onto a corresponding half of the imaging surface, means for evaluating the profile