Gap and flush measurement

Abstract

A system for inline measurement of gap width and flush depth of adjacent surfaces of a vehicle continuously moving longitudinally relative to the system comprises at least one laser source, at least one image sensor, and a processor configured to perform measurements within a predetermined cycle time. The processor controls the laser profiler to project laser beams onto vehicle surfaces, acquires optical images of reflected beams from the image sensor, and matches gap profiles from stored one-dimensional profiles to identify gaps. The system performs gap width and flush depth measurements and outputs anomaly detection signals when measurements deviate from predetermined target values. The system includes bias correction capabilities using empirically determined values and CAD-based target values for specific vehicle models. Dynamic adjustments are made based on vehicle color, with laser brightness optimized for surface reflectivity.