Abstract: A non-contact optical probe for inspecting the surface of a workpiece includes: a laser source that emits an incident beam of light, an optical system that focuses the optical beam and directs the focused incident beam onto the surface being inspected, a mechanism for scanning the focused beam across the surface being inspected by moving the focal point of the beam relative to the surface, an encoder system that tracks the location of the focused beam on the surface as a function of position, and a wavelength filter that prevents scattered and reflected laser radiation and ambient visible light from reaching an infrared detector inside the probe. The probe design also prevents infrared radiation from locations other than the spot illuminated by the focused laser beam from reaching the detector.

Abstract: A non-contact optical probe for inspecting an inside surface of a cylindrical workpiece includes a laser source that emits an incident light beam, a polarizing beam splitter that transmits one polarization of the incident beam and reflects the opposite polarization, and a quarter wave plate that together with the polarizing beam splitter separates back reflected return light from the incident laser beam. The non-contact optical probe further includes an optical system that directs the incident laser beam onto the cylinder surface and directs reflected light from the surface back to the beam splitter, and at least one detector that receives a portion of the reflected light and generates data about the cylinder surface.

Abstract: A non-contact optical probe for inspecting an inside surface of a cylindrical workpiece includes a laser source that emits an incident light beam, a polarizing beam splitter that transmits one polarization of the incident beam and reflects the opposite polarization, a quarter wave plate that together with the polarizing beam splitter separates back reflected return light from the incident laser beam, a probe tip that directs the incident laser beam onto the cylinder surface and directs reflected light from the surface back to the beam splitter, and at least one detector that receives a portion of the reflected light and generates data about the cylinder surface.

Abstract: A non-contact laser inspection system includes a probe with a thin tubular extension into which a light redirecting mechanism is incorporated to permit inspection of small diameter cylinders. The laser inspection system contains a laser that produces a beam of light that is coincident with an axis of the probe body. A reflector in the tip of the probe deflects the laser beam perpendicular to the axis of the probe. An optical system in the probe directs directly back reflected light to a detector contained in the probe body. The probe is mounted in a rotatable shaft and the axis of the probe is aligned along the axis of the rotatable shaft. The rotatable shaft rotates the probe as it is inserted into a cylindrical hole, so the laser beam can scan the inside of the cylindrical surface.