Abstract: A computer vision system for inspecting engine heads during assembly for missing valve spring assembly keys comprises a solid-state camera for taking pictures of the valve spring assemblies and providing picture data upon command to a computer. The computer responds to a position encoder which relates the position of the engine head to the camera. Once the data is stored in the computer, it is analyzed to determine the center of the digitized image of the valve spring assembly and an intensity profile at the expected location of the keys relative to the center of the assembly is utilized to determine whether a key is missing.

Abstract: In order to determine the position and orientation of an object on a conveyor, two planes of light intersect at a single transverse line on the conveyor surface, the planes of light each being at an acute angle to the conveyor. A linear diode array aligned with the single line of light on the conveyor detects light from that line. An object on the conveyor moving through the line of light intercepts the light above the conveyor at positions spaced laterally from the line of light. The linear array senses only the line segments on the conveyor beyond the object boundaries. By electronic sampling of the illumination of the linear array, the object boundaries are determined and the object shape and orientation are thus detected.