This groundbreaking project introduces an automated gasket inspection system, utilizing laser technology and advanced image processing algorithms. This innovative system significantly reduces measurement errors, enhancing precision in assessing the width, thickness, angle, and shape of standard sealing gaskets. The development of a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) further streamlines the inspection process, making it accessible even for users with no coding expertise. This automated system increased accuracy, providing reliable and efficient gasket measurements.
Research Highlights
- Implementing automation for precise measurements through the utilization of a laser line and advanced image processing techniques.
- Development of an algorithm and Graphical User Interface (GUI) for measuring the shape, sizes, and manufacturing errors of gaskets.
Challenges
Gaskets (Figure 2) are sealing parts that are compressed between two plates in a heat exchanger to create a fluid sealing and act as a boundary to avoid mixing and leakage from the system to withstand temperature and pressure. They are manufactured normally utilizing injection molding, which would result in many defects of the final part, especially geometrical defects. Therefore, after production of the gaskets, they should pass the quality control tests for geometrical defects. In this manner, the defect is detected right after gasket production, not when the fluid leaks after the final quality control test of the heat exchangers. Conventionally an operator checks dimensions using a caliper, but because of the high elasticity of the sealing gaskets, this process is hard, time consuming, does not have enough precision due to the human errors, and is not repetitive. So, in this project, a fully automated system is developed for gasket inspection.
Our Solution
To monitor the geometrical specifications of the gaskets, we employed a laser line and camera. The low-power laser illuminates a specific section of the gasket, enhancing its visibility for the algorithm that processes the camera’s image. To achieve an automated gasket inspection setup, it’s crucial to position the camera and laser line at a specific attitude and angle relative to the gasket on the table. Consequently, we have designed and implemented the setup illustrated in Figure 3.
Upon obtaining the images captured by the camera, they were processed through various image processing algorithms using MATLAB. This process yields the width, thickness, angle and profile of the gasket, as depicted in the diagram shown in Figure 4.
Given the skill needed to run a MATLAB code, we developed a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the system, as illustrated in Figure 5. This interface allows users to interact with the system effortlessly, requiring no coding knowledge.
With the setup prepared and the algorithm along with its software finalized, the only task for the operator is using the calibration part to ensure the camera and laser line are correctly fixed in the setup, as illustrated in Figure 6.
In the concluding phase, several gaskets were securely positioned within the inspection system, and their profile were accurately generated through the GUI, as demonstrated in Figure 7. Notably, the measurement errors for thickness were less than 0.2 mm, and for width, less than 0.3 mm, representing commendable precision within this field.
Outcomes
- The improvised automated gasket inspection system successfully measured the width, thickness, angle, and shape of various standard sealing gaskets.
- The system significantly reduced measurement errors to less than 0.3 mm, particularly effective for polymer sealing gaskets that were hardly measured by hand and calipers.
- The method enhanced the repeatability of measurements and accelerated the overall process.