Cummins Engine Company, Inc.

Karen S Smith

Don E Beeson

An inspection system for determining if the measured features within a measured pattern of features on a mechanical component are within specified tolerances by repositioning a representation of the dimensioned features relative to the corresponding measured pattern of features within the coordinate system and by determining whether each measured feature is within the tolerance zone associated with the corresponding dimensioned feature. To accomplish this purpose, a data processor is provided for simulating the relative positions of the measured and dimensioned pattern of features and for moving in incremental steps the dimensional pattern relative to the measured pattern within a predetermined coordinate system. The directions of movement for the incremental steps are chosen by the data processor by simulating restoring forces between corresponding features of the measured and dimensioned patterns. In one mode of operation, these restoring forces are simulated only for those measured features that are outside of the tolerance zone of the corresponding dimensioned features and additional trapping forces are simulated between corresponding features of the measured pattern and the tolerance zone boundary of that feature if the measured features are up against and inside the tolerance zone boundaries of the corresponding dimensioned features and neither restoring nor trapping forces are simulated if the measured feature is inside its tolerance zone but not up against the tolerance zone boundary. In another mode, the trapping forces are turned off and all the restoring forces are used to determine the direction of movement of each incremental step. The second mentioned mode is used to obtain a good starting position for the first mode mentioned.

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Columbus, IN, United States of America

Karen S Smith