3m Innovative Properties Company

Kenneth G Brittain

Steven P Floeder

Guillermo Sapiro

Evan J Ribnick

Derek H Justice

David L Hofeldt

John A Ramthun

Gregory D Kostuch

Catherine P Tarnowski

James A Masterman

Carl J Skeps

Andrzej P Jaworski

Sammuel D Herbert

Joseph R Nesbitt

Esa H Vilkama

Neil F Diamond

System and methods used to inspect a moving web () include a plurality of image capturing devices () 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 () 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 () 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.

Virtual camera array for inspection of manufactured webs

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.

Synchronizing multiple processing systems

A computerized inspection system is described for detecting the presence of non-uniformity defects and providing output indicative of a severity of each type of non-uniformity defect. Techniques are described that increase the throughput of the inspection system. Algorithmic and hardware approaches are described to significantly decrease the average amount of time required to inspect a given quantity of material that is expected to be mostly uniform. The techniques described herein involve dynamic selection of which image features to compute by starting with a base feature set and only triggering additional feature computations as needed until the features are sufficient to compute a severity for each type of non-uniformity defect. The number of features extracted and the order in which the features are extracted is dynamically determined in real-time to reduce a cost associated with the feature extraction.

Rapid processing and detection of non-uniformities in web-based materials

A system is described for detecting the presence of non-uniformity patterns and providing output indicative of a severity of each type of non-uniformity pattern. The system includes a computerized rating tool that assists a user in efficiently and consistently assigning expert ratings (i.e., labels) to a large collection of training images representing samples of a given product. In addition, the rating software develops a model that allows a computerized inspection system to detect the presence of non-uniformity patterns in a manufactured web material in real time and provide output indicative of a severity level of each pattern on a continuous scale. The system also includes algorithmic and hardware approaches to significantly that increase the throughput of the inspection system.

System for detection of non-uniformities in web-based materials

A computerized rating tool is described that assists a user in efficiently and consistently assigning expert ratings (i.e., labels) to a large collection of training images representing samples of a given product. The rating tool provides mechanisms for visualizing the training images in an intuitive and configurable fashion, including clustering and ordering the training images. In some embodiments, the rating tool provides an easy-to-use interface for exploring multiple types of defects represented in the data and efficiently assigning expert ratings. In other embodiments, the computer automatically assigns ratings (i.e., labels) to the individual clusters containing the large collection of digital images representing the samples. In addition, the computerized tool has capabilities ideal for labeling very large datasets, including the ability to automatically identify and select a most relevant subset of the images for a defect and to automatically propagate labels from this subset to the remaining images without requiring further user interaction.

Computer-aided assignment of ratings to digital samples of a manufactured web product

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.

Method and apparatus for illuminating material for automated inspection

A conversion control system is described that includes a database to store data defining a set of rules and an interface to receive local anomaly information from a plurality of different analysis machines associated with a plurality of manufacturing process lines that perform a plurality of operations on a web of material, and each of the manufacturing process lines includes position data for a set of regions on the web containing anomalies. The system also includes a computer that registers the position data of the local anomaly information for the plurality of manufacturing process lines to produce aggregate anomaly information. The system further includes a conversion control engine that applies the rules to the aggregate anomaly information to determine which anomalies represent actual defects in the web for a plurality of different products.

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Cottage Grove, MN, United States of America

Kenneth G Brittain