Ball Corporation

H Kent Minet

Ronald D Wertz

Stephen M Horacek

Robert H Cormack

Carey S Brown

Daniel J Messerschmidt

Brett A Nickerson

A system for generating a solid model of the sidewall of the container. A mandrel selectively holds the container in first and second locations. In the first location, a non-contact measurement apparatus utilizing a digital camera produces digital information for generating a three dimensional sidewall surface profile of the container based upon shadow edge detection. In the second position, a contact measurement apparatus produces information for generating a three dimensional sidewall thickness map of the container. A computer collects the information from the contact and non-contact measurement apparatuses and produces an overall solid model of the sidewall of the container based upon sidewall surface profile and sidewall thickness. The computer generates can tilt, diameter, can ovality, and can squarity information.

Precision three dimensional profiling and measurement system for

An apparatus and method for inspecting multilayer articles. An article to be inspected is clamped in a liquid filled tank between a pair of focused transducers. An ultrasonic pulse is introduced to a cross section of the article from each transducer sequentially. Reflections from the surfaces and interfaces within the article are received by each transducer and transmitted to a computer for analysis. The thicknesses of the innermost layers of the article are determined by calculating the mean of the measurements from each transducer for each inner layer.

Nondestructive inspection system for laminated products

An apparatus and method for non-destructively measuring the thickness of an internal coating in a container and when the internal coating is defective the area of exposed metal. The apparatus uses a frequency source which is capable of generating two sinusoidal signals of predetermined frequency and of constant amplitude wherein the two sinusoidal signals are ninety degrees apart in phase. One of the two signals is applied across a predetermined area at a selected interior configuration in the container. The applied signal has its phase and amplitude varied as a function of the thickness of the internal coating and as a function of exposed surface metal from defects in the coating. Applied signal as varied is converted to a voltage in a current-to-voltage amplifier and delivered into an electronic circuit which combines it with the second signal from the frequency source in order to produce a capacitive output indicative of the thickness of the internal coating being measured in the predetermined area. The applied signal as varied is also combined with the first signal in order to produce a resistive output indicative of the area of exposed metal. A plurality of sensing probes are placed in a container to obtain thickness and exposed metal area measurements at different predetermined areas of the container, thereby obtaining a profile of the interior coating of the container.

Apparatus for non-destructively measuring internal coating thickness and

An optical inspection system inspects individual sheets having scrolled and unscrolled edges for defects in a production line with high transfer velocities. Each of the individual sheets are delivered in a production line with some spacing between them and potentially with some degree of skewness and offset from the production center line. The inspection system of the present invention utilizes a formed viewing window over which individual sheets from the production line are delivered. As each sheet is delivered over the formed viewing window, the undersurface of each individual sheet is uniformly and continuously illuminated along the length of the formed viewing window with high intensity diffused light. The reflected light from the surface of each moving individual sheet is captured by at least one video camera. As the sheet moves across the formed viewing window, a line-by-line video image is captured and stored according to a rectangularization technique which eliminates the need for customized masks. An analyzer receives the stored information and analyzes the stored information for the presence of defects.

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

H Kent Minet