Small arms ammunition inspection system

Abstract

An automatic visual inspection system for small arms ammunition which sorts visual surface flaws at high speed according to established standards which can be tailored to fit specific needs. The system employs advanced techniques for performing inspection independently of human inspectors and allows for quick changeovers in the type of ammunition to which it is applied. The system comprises interface apparatus for receiving a supply of ammunition cartridges and providing each cartridge with a predetermined orientation, conveying apparatus for locating each of the cartridges for inspection in at least one inspection station, apparatus for imaging selected areas of each cartridge to provide video surface feature data associated therewith, and apparatus for processing the video surface feature data to detect the presence of a predetermined set of characteristics and provide output signals in accordance therewith, the conveying apparatus being operated to sort each of the inspected cartridges in accordance with the output signals. A preferred embodiment comprises four subsystems, a feeding subsystem, an imaging and handling subsystem, an operation subsystem, and a computers subsystem. The imaging and handling subsystem provides each cartridge with the necessary orientation for inspection by a video camera feeding video surface feature data to an image processing computer. The image processing computer makes a very high speed computation based on image processing techniques to decide whether the cartridges have manufacturing defects for sorting purposes. Since many surface flaws look the same in two dimensions such as scratches and splits or acid holes and stains, special lighting of the cartridges is used so that discrimination between them can be achieved on the basis of off-specular reflections.