Abstract: Techniques are described for automatically detecting defects in webs using ultraviolet light to excite fluorescing agents in various layers of the web. In one example. a system for detecting defects in the web includes an inspection device and a processing unit. The inspection device includes a lighting unit, a filter, and an image capture device. The lighting unit is configured to emit ultraviolet light having a first wavelength to the web, the web including a fluorescing agent configured to emit light having a second wavelength upon excitation by the ultraviolet light. The image capture device is configured to capture one or more images of the light having the second wavelength after the light has passed through the filter. The processing unit is configured to determine whether the web includes a defect based on the one or more images.

Abstract: A system for measuring dimensions of film to be applied to a window includes a plurality of removable cards for placement on the window, each of the plurality of removable cards having a plurality of visible correspondence points at pre-defined positions on the respective removable card. The system further includes a mobile device having an image capture device, and the image capture device is configured to capture an image of the window having a set of correspondence points visible in the image. Additionally, the system includes a server configured to receive the image of the window captured by the mobile device and process the image to determine dimensions of a film to be cut for the window based on the set of correspondence points and the pre-defined positions, and processing the image removes perspective distortions in the image. The system is configured to output the dimensions of the film.

Abstract: A system includes a robot, a measuring device, and a processor. The robot is configured to dispense, based on at least one process parameter, a liquid adhesive bead onto a substrate. The measuring device is configured to measure at least one characteristic of the bead shape. The processor is configured to determine, based on a reference bead shape and at least one reference process parameter, response surface profile of the liquid adhesive. The processor is configured to compare the measured bead shape to a reference bead shape and, responsive to determining the measured bead shape is different than the reference bead shape, determine, based on the response surface profile, at least one updated process parameter. The updated process parameter is configured to cause the robot to dispense a second bead having the reference bead shape.

Abstract: An example method for selecting product images for training a machine-learning model includes obtaining product images to include in an image population; receiving an indication of an image selection strategy for determining if a product image is to be included in a set of images of interest; determining image transforms based on configuration data for the indicated image selection strategy, wherein the image transforms perform image manipulation operations to obtain transformed image data for each of the product images in the image population; selecting a subset of images from the image population for inclusion in the set of images of interest based on the indicated image selection strategy and the transformed image data; determining one or more descriptive labels and applying the one or more descriptive labels to the respective sets of images; and training an inspection model for a product inspection system based on the labeled images.

Abstract: A method includes dispensing, by a robot within a manufacturing environment using at least one process parameter, one or more linear beads of a liquid adhesive representative of a target complex dispense path onto a surface of a substrate, the linear beads extending along a longitudinal axis and having a bead shape transverse to the longitudinal axis based on the at least one process parameter; and measuring, via a one-dimensional scan by a measuring device positioned within the manufacturing environment, at a plurality of discrete positions along the longitudinal axis of the linear beads, at least one characteristic of the bead shape.

Abstract: Machine learning-based systems are described for automatically generating an inspection recipe that can be utilized when inspecting web materials, sheet parts or other products for defects. One example method for generating an inspection recipe includes assigning, by processing circuitry, a pseudo-label to each image of a plurality of images based on the content of the image and a labeling model, and storing the pseudo-labeled images in a second set of images; extracting, by the processing circuitry, one or more features from each image of the plurality of images, and storing the one or more features as a feature list for the image; generating, by the processing circuitry, a decision tree based on the second set of images and the feature lists of the second set of images; generating, by the processing circuitry, an inspection recipe based on the decision tree, the inspection recipe comprising a plurality of classification rules; and outputting the inspection recipe.

Abstract: An example system is described herein. The example system may include an inspection device comprising at least one image capture device, the at least one image capture device configured to capture a reference image of a sheet part. Additionally, the example system may include a processing unit configured to identify at least one primary point in the reference image and identify at least one secondary point in a mask image. The processing unit may transform the mask image based on the at least one primary point and the at least one secondary point. The processing unit may apply the transformed mask image to the reference image to identify an inspection region within the reference image, process the inspection region of the reference image to determine the quality of the sheet part, and output information indicative of the quality of the sheet part.

Abstract: An inspection system includes an inspection device having at least one image capture device. The image capture device captures image data of a sheet part passing through the inspection device. A processing unit of the inspection device provides the image data representative of the sheet part to a plurality of neural networks, where each of the neural networks is trained to identify a corresponding defect in the sheet part and output data indicative of the presence of the corresponding defect. The processing unit determines a quality category of the sheet part based on the data indicative of the presence of the corresponding defect output by each corresponding neural network. The processing unit can further output the quality category of the sheet part to a sorter that can sort the sheet part based on the quality category.

Abstract: System and methods used to inspect a moving web (112) include a plurality of image capturing devices (113) that image a portion of the web at an imaging area. The image data captured by each of the image capturing devices at the respective imaging areas is combined to form a virtual camera data array (105) that represents an alignment of the image data associated with each of the imaging areas to the corresponding physical positioning of the imaging areas relative to the web. The image output signals generated by each of the plurality of image capturing devices may be processed by a single image processor, or a number of image processors (114) that is less than the number of image capturing devices. The processor or processors are arranged to generate the image data forming the virtual camera array.

Abstract: A process of making a microneedle array comprising providing a microneedle array having a plurality of microneedles of a desired shape, illuminating at least a portion of said microneedle array that comprises at least one microneedle, capturing an observed image of said at least one microneedle using an optical device, electronically processing said observed image and determining at least one shape parameter for said at least one microneedle, accepting said microneedle array if said at least one shape parameter is within an acceptable range, thereby providing a microneedle array that comprises a known shape of the plurality of microneedles.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for optimizing a process of manufacturing a product. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting a configuration of input settings for manufacturing a product, based on a causal model that measures causal relationships between input settings and a measure of a quality of the product; ii) determining the measure of the quality of the product manufactured using the configuration of input settings; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of the quality of the product manufactured using the configuration of input settings, the causal model.

Abstract: Systems and methods are directed to a device comprising a product status synchronization device. Examples of the product status synchronization device comprise a plurality of input ports and an encoder input, each of the input ports coupled to one of a plurality of registers and configured to receive a signal indicative of a status assigned to a product by one of a plurality of process stations, and to register the status assigned to the product into the one of the plurality of registers coupled to the input port, wherein one or more of the plurality of process stations are located at different distances from a predetermined location along a processing line and are configured to asynchronously process one or more products moving through the processing line.

Abstract: System and technique for inspecting a moving film by measuring the levels of light transmission through a thickness dimension of the film are described. The system includes a light source configured to provide light including a particular wavelength, or a particular range of wavelengths. The light from the light source is directed toward a first surface of the film, and an image capturing device is located adjacent to the light source on a second side of the film opposite the first surface, the image capturing device configured to measure the levels of light intensity exiting a second surface of the film. Measurements of the level of the light intensity passing through the film may be spatially synchronized to physical positions along the film to generated at least one roll map indicative of light transmission characteristics of the film over the imaged portions of the film.

Abstract: An example system is described herein. The example system may include an inspection device comprising at least one image capture device, the at least one image capture device configured to capture a reference image of a sheet part. Additionally, the example system may include a processing unit configured to identify at least one primary point in the reference image and identify at least one secondary point in a mask image. The processing unit may transform the mask image based on the at least one primary point and the at least one secondary point. The processing unit may apply the transformed mask image to the reference image to identify an inspection region within the reference image, process the inspection region of the reference image to determine the quality of the sheet part, and output information indicative of the quality of the sheet part.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for automatically controlling the operation of a slitter (40) to convert a web (20) of material into smaller slit rolls (64, 66, 68). A slitter director (60) may automatically control the operation of a slitter (40) for defect removal, web splicing, and/or slit roll rejection based on continually registering previously-generated anomaly data (62) with physical locations of the web (20).

Abstract: A method and associated system for providing robotic paint repair includes receiving coordinates of identified defects in a substrate along with characteristics of the defects, and communicating the coordinates to a robot controller module along with additional data needed to control a robot manipulator to bring an end effector of the robot manipulator into close proximity to the identified defect on the substrate. The characteristics of the defect and current state of at least the end effector is provided to a policy server that provides repair actions based on a previously learned control policy that is updated by a machine learning unit. The repair action is executed by communicating instructions for the repair action to the robot controller module and end effector.

Abstract: Techniques are described for inspection of films in order to detect Machine Direction Line (“MDL”) defects. An example system comprises a light source configured to provide a source of light rays, directed to a film product so that the light rays are incident to a surface of the film product at a non-perpendicular angle of incidence. An image capturing device is configured to generate an image of the film product by capturing a level of light intensity of the light rays exiting the film product in a plurality of image areas, each image area representing a line imaged across the film product that is perpendicular to a direction of manufacture of the film product. An image processing device is configured to process the image of the film product to provide an indication of the detection of one or more machine direction line (MDL) defects in the film product.

Abstract: A process of making a microneedle array comprising providing a microneedle array having a plurality of microneedles of a desired shape, illuminating at least a portion of said microneedle array that comprises at least one microneedle, capturing an observed image of said at least one microneedle using an optical device, electronically processing said observed image and determining at least one shape parameter for said at least one microneedle, accepting said microneedle array if said at least one shape parameter is within an acceptable range, thereby providing a microneedle array that comprises a known shape of the plurality of microneedles.

Abstract: A system for measuring dimensions of film to be applied to a window includes a plurality of removable cards for placement on the window, each of the plurality of removable cards having a plurality of visible correspondence points at pre-defined positions on the respective removable card. The system further includes a mobile device having an image capture device, and the image capture device is configured to capture an image of the window having a set of correspondence points visible in the image. Additionally, the system includes a server configured to receive the image of the window captured by the mobile device and process the image to determine dimensions of a film to be cut for the window based on the set of correspondence points and the pre-defined positions, and processing the image removes perspective distortions in the image. The system is configured to output the dimensions of the film.

Abstract: System and technique for inspecting a moving film by measuring the levels of light transmission through a thickness dimension of the film are described. The system includes a light source configured to provide light including a particular wavelength, or a particular range of wavelengths. The light from the light source is directed toward a first surface of the film, and an image capturing device is located adjacent to the light source on a second side of the film opposite the first surface, the image capturing device configured to measure the levels of light intensity exiting a second surface of the film. Measurements of the level of the light intensity passing through the film may be spatially synchronized to physical positions along the film to generated at least one roll map indicative of light transmission characteristics of the film over the imaged portions of the film.