Micro Epsilon: Paint defect inspection for painted vehicle bodies

In order to detect defects on painted vehicle bodies, car manufacturers need measuring systems that measure with high precision and detect the smallest anomalies in the surface structure. With Micro-Epsilon ReflectControl, defects on glossy surfaces can be detected and classified almost 100 percent. The system is superior to conventional light tunnels, particularly in the area of paint defect inspection in automotive production. Thanks to the large database, manufacturers of automatic processing systems are able to assign the correct processing recipes to the defects. This reduces unnecessary defect handling and thus saves the OEM resources and costs.

Micro-Epsilon uses ReflectControl sensors on robots to inspect paint defects on finished car bodies. Two to four robots work with one sensor at each inspection station, allowing the entire car body to be measured. For very short cycle times, two stations with four robots each have proven their worth. However, the company can offer solutions for all required cycle times. Micro-Epsilon achieves high defect coverage thanks to its outstanding defect detection, including AI algorithms. First, the vehicle is measured from measuring position to measuring position. By projecting the detected defects back onto the vehicle surface, the defect can be localized with +/- 3 mm on the vehicle surface. 3D features such as height, depth and volume are added to each defect using 3D reconstruction, which is unique on the market. All collected data is saved in an XML file and is thus available to the vehicle manufacturer at any time.