Laser Projection Technologies, Inc.

Faro Technologies, Inc.

Steven P Kaufman

Arkady Savikovsky

Joel H Stave

Masoud Mohazzab

Kari J Mettinen

Christopher C Chagaris

A laser projection system is provided. The laser projection system includes at least one laser projector having a laser source and a laser detector. The system includes processors for executing computer instructions, the processors are coupled to the laser projector, the computer readable instructions include determining the component is stationary based on the emitting of a first laser light towards a reference target on the component and receiving a portion of the first laser light by the laser detector. In response to the determining the component is stationary: determining a transformation for mapping a first coordinate system of the laser projector to a second coordinate system of the component and forming a visual pattern on the component. The computer instructions further include determining that the component is in motion based on receiving a portion of the first laser light by the laser detector and removing the visual pattern.

3D laser projection, scanning and object tracking

A virtual laser projection system and method includes one or more measuring laser projectors, one or more non-measuring laser projectors, an array of reference targets, and a computing system. The one or more measuring laser projectors and one or more non-measuring laser projectors operate under common control of the computing system to register their respective locations using the array of reference targets, detect and locate features of a work object to be illuminated, convert all location information into a common coordinate system, and illuminate the work object with laser light beams using the common coordinate system.

Virtual laser projection system and method

Techniques are disclosed for tracking the position of moving parts and assemblies using 3D laser projection, and projecting templates and other information onto the parts and assemblies based on position. The projected template may then be used, for example, to assist in fabrication of an assembly by indicating where to put a next component or layer, or to assist in post-fabrication inspection of an assembly by indicating where the various components or layers should have been placed. Reference targets can be used as fiducial points for aligning a laser projector with the work piece in question. When the work piece rotates or is otherwise moved to a next manufacturing or inspection position, the relative position of the laser projector and the work piece is updated by bucking-in to the reference targets. The laser projector can then project patterns or other information onto the work piece at the appropriate locations.

A laser projection system is disclosed. The system includes a laser projector that projects a light beam to the surface of an object and scans that projected light beam over at least a portion of the surface, wherein a portion of the projected beam is diffusely reflected from the surface back to the system. The system further includes an optical signal detector that receives the feedback light beam and converts it to an image signal, a light suppression means for suppressing unwanted light from entering the optical signal detector, and a computer for producing a measurement of the distance from the projector to the object surface, and controlling the system to buck the laser projector into a coordinate system of the object using three or more features on the object, wherein at least one of the three or more features serves as a targetless fiducial point.

Laser radar projection with object feature detection and ranging

A 3D pulsed laser projection system scans an object to produce a dense 3D point cloud and projects a laser light beam onto an object as a glowing template. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected beam share the same beam path between steering mirrors and the object. A light suppression component controls stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A time-of-flight measurement subsystem provides a distance-to-object measurement for projected pulses. An acousto-optical modulator, variable gain detected signal amplification and variable photo-detector power together produce a dynamic range for detected reflected feedback signals of at least 100,000, and up to 500,000. Optical fiber cables spatially filter scattered light and isolate the photo-detectors thermally. The laser is preferably pulsed at least 50 kHz, with sampling of the projected and feedback reflected optical pulse signals at a sampling rate of up to 10 gigasamples per second.

A method and system for visualizing deviations on an actual surfacefrom a nominal, or designed, surfaceutilizes a system and method for mapping the spatial (e.g. x, y and z) coordinates of the actual surfaceinto a computer, comparing the mapped actual surface to the nominal surfaceto produce a three-dimensional distribution of deviation values (D), processing this distribution into a topographical patternof multiple contours or areas, each contour or area having the same, or generally the same, deviation value (D), and optically projecting this topographical patternonto the actual surfacein registry with the initial surface mapping to provide a display of the surface deviations (D) directly on the actual surface. The deviations are measured along a direction D normal to the actual surface so that the three-dimensional distribution is given in x, y, D coordinates. The optical projection is preferably a laser projection. The mapping and projection onto the actual surfaceare made, and coordinated with one another, with respect to three reference pointson the surface

Method and system for visualizing surface errors

A laser projection system scans an output laser light beam onto an object to detect features. A high-sensitivity optical feedback system receives and detects a feedback beam of the output beam light diffusely reflected from the object. The feedback light and projected output beam share the same beam path between beam-steering mirrors of the projector and the object. The laser projection system has light suppression components to control stray scattered light, including ambient light, from being detected. A computer of the laser projection system calculates fiducial points on the object from detected features to align the projection system with the object without using targets. This feature detection is used in a process to guide assembly and fabrication on or to the object, and to verify the accurate placement of parts and fabrication steps in place after they are assembled or processed. In one form, the detected feature is a light spot on the object produced by a second light source.

Laser projection with object feature detection

An apparatus and method for recording an image on the surface of a 3D object uses a laser projector that scans a light beam over the surface in an image pattern. The projector operates in a template imaging mode and an image recording mode where the beam scans at a speed that in a single pass/scan mode is typically four to five orders of magnitude slower than in the template imaging mode. A layer of a photosensitive material is applied to the surface of the object either partially or fully. Projection in the template imaging mode can guide the applying. The layer is substantially insensitive to ambient light for at least a period of time necessary to perform a desired processing step on the object. The layer has a maximum spectral sensitivity in the vicinity of the wavelength of the laser light beam. In one or multiple passes of the beam over the image pattern operating in the image record mode, the accumulated light energy dose density is sufficient to react the material and record the image.

3D projection with image recording

A laser projector for projecting a 3-D image onto an object. The laser projector has an optics module, a controller module, a power module, and a timing module. The timing module coupled with the optics module measures the distance between the laser projector and the object.

Growing community of inventors

Hooksett, NH, United States of America

Steven P Kaufman