Optical scanner for the measurement of surface profile of large size panels: analysis of metrologic performance and measurement uncertainty

Abstract

The paper presents the analysis of metrologic performance and measurement uncertainty of an optical scanner for the measurement of surface profile of large size panels designed to operate on-line in real time on moving panels in a noisy industrial environment. After a brief discussion of standards relevant to this type of sensor and of sensor specifications, an analytical model developed for the sensor design and for the uncertainty budget estimation is described. In addition, rather than presenting the common analysis of uncertainty of laser scanners based on the modelling of the image formation and processing, this paper addresses this question through a black-box approach, analysing the whole system as a sensor and therefore performing an experimental evaluation of uncertainty which embodies all possible sources of uncertainty, according to type A and type B approaches of the ISO-Guide to The Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement, which is an uncommon approach in the field of laser scanners calibration and represents the main novelty of this paper.