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 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: 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: A conversion station (300) comprising a mechanism (240) operable to support at least some portion of a web (250), a conversion device located above the mechanism (240), the conversion device operable to traverse a conversion zone (244) located below the conversion device to bring a cutting member into contact with the web (250) to convert the web (250) into one or more individual products (201A, 202A; 201B, 202B; 201C, 202C), an image capturing device (260) located above the mechanism (240) and adjacent to the conversion device but outside the conversion zone (244), the image capturing device (260) positioned at a non-perpendicular imaging angle (271) relative to a surface plane (270) of the web (250), the image capturing device (260) operable to capture image information (261, 263) by imaging the one or more features located on the web (250) while the features are positioned within the conversion zone (244), and a control system operable to align the web (250) within the conversion zone (244) based on the im

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: Optical films having an optical axis with an orientation that varies along a width of the optical film and having one or more indicia recording the orientation of the optical axis at a plurality of locations in the optical film are provided. Systems and methods for producing and for converting the optical films are provided.

Abstract: Optical films having an optical axis with an orientation that varies along a width of the optical film and having one or more indicia recording the orientation of the optical axis at a plurality of locations in the optical film are provided. Systems and methods for producing and for converting the optical films are provided.

Abstract: Techniques are described for maintaining synchronization of inspection data when a web roll is converted into intermediate smaller rolls prior to cutting the web into individual parts. A system comprises a database that stores anomaly data acquired from a manufactured web. The anomaly data specifies positions anomalies within a manufactured web relative to a set of fiducial marks on the manufactured web. A conversion processing line comprises a fiducial mark reader to output position information for the set of fiducial marks on the manufactured web, a slitter that cuts the manufactured web into slit rolls, and a fiducial mark printer to print a set of fiducial marks on each slit roll. A position monitoring system maintains spatial synchronization of the anomaly data by computing an updated position for the anomalies relative to the set of fiducial marks printed on the slit rolls.

Abstract: Techniques are described for inspecting a web and controlling subsequent conversion of the web into one or more products. A system, for example, comprises an imaging device, an analysis computer and a conversion control system. The imaging device images the web to provide digital information. The analysis computer processes the digital information to identify regions on the web containing anomalies. The conversion control system subsequently analyzes the digital information to determine which anomalies represent actual defects for a plurality of different products. The web inspection system may preferentially apply different application-specific defect detection recipes depending on whether a given anomaly is a repeating or random anomaly.

Abstract: Techniques are described for maintaining synchronization of inspection data when a web roll is converted into intermediate smaller rolls prior to cutting the web into individual parts. A system comprises a database that stores anomaly data acquired from a manufactured web. The anomaly data specifies positions anomalies within a manufactured web relative to a set of fiducial marks on the manufactured web. A conversion processing line comprises a fiducial mark reader to output position information for the set of fiducial marks on the manufactured web, a slitter that cuts the manufactured web into slit rolls, and a fiducial mark printer to print a set of fiducial marks on each slit roll. A position monitoring system maintains spatial synchronization of the anomaly data by computing an updated position for the anomalies relative to the set of fiducial marks printed on the slit rolls.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which an image capture device captures image data from web material. The image data comprises pixel values for the cross-web field of view of the image capture device. An analysis computer includes a computer-readable medium that stores parameters for a plurality of different normalization algorithms to normalize a cross-web background signal for the image capture device to a common desired value. The computer-readable medium further stores coefficients specifying a weighting for each of the plurality of normalization algorithms. The analysis computer computes a normalized value for each of the pixels of the image data as a weighted summation of results from application of at least two of the pixel normalization algorithms using the stored parameters.

Abstract: A system for the characterization of webs that permits the identification of anomalous regions on the web to be performed at a first time and place, and permits the localization and marking of actual defects to be performed at a second time and place.

Abstract: A conversion control system is described for spatially synchronizing data gathered from a plurality of operations performed on a web. The conversion control system applies a set of fiducial marks to a web, performs a plurality of operations on the web, generates a first and a second set of digital information for first and second operations, respectively, in accordance with respective first and second coordinate systems using the set of fiducial marks such that the each of the sets of digital information includes position data for respective first and second sets of regions on the web. The conversion control system may then register the position data of the first set of regions and the position data for the second set of regions to produce aggregate data and outputting a conversion control plan.

Abstract: A lighting configuration that is a combination of far dark field lighting and a modified dark stripe lighting is disclosed. The novel combination provides a more robust detection of flaws on, e.g. a moving web of transparent film, than either would provide alone or through a summation of their individual parts.

Abstract: Techniques are described for inspecting a web and controlling subsequent conversion of the web into one or more products. A system, for example, comprises an imaging device, an analysis computer and a conversion control system. The imaging device images the web to provide digital information. The analysis computer processes the digital information to identify regions on the web containing anomalies. The conversion control system subsequently analyzes the digital information to determine which anomalies represent actual defects for a plurality of different products.

Abstract: A system for the characterization of webs that permits the identification of anomalous regions on the web to be performed at a first time and place, and permits the localization and marking of actual defects to be performed at a second time and place.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which an image capture device captures image data from web material. The image data comprises pixel values for the cross-web field of view of the image capture device. An analysis computer includes a computer-readable medium that stores parameters for a plurality of different normalization algorithms to normalize a cross-web background signal for the image capture device to a common desired value. The computer-readable medium further stores coefficients specifying a weighting for each of the plurality of normalization algorithms. The analysis computer computes a normalized value for each of the pixels of the image data as a weighted summation of results from application of at least two of the pixel normalization algorithms using the stored parameters.