::: Vision system for geometrical inspection in fabrics
::: CHALLENGE :::
Developing a vision system to replace the manual analysis of geometrical areas of tissue samples, such as wrinkles and lint, with reliability and easy of use.
::: SOLUTION :::
Using image acquisition boards from National Instruments to inspect product’s images and process them with a custom software developed for this application, by use of the programming language LabVIEW.
::: Description :::
The customer needed a system to acquire tissue samples images, process them, quantify the wrinkling or the presence of lint, analyze the results and display these on a main screen. The system should also be able to store these inspection values in a database, issue individual reports or complete reports, as well as store their acquired images.
For the image acquisition we used a IMAQ series image acquisition board from National Instruments. This board has a channel for acquiring the image and a channel for trigger.
The software was developed in LabVIEW specifically for this application and DAQSYS – Data & Control worked in collaboration with Electrolux in every phase of the project. The application contains a main screen for displaying the results and analysis of inspection of the products. The results are displayed in tables with figures of the geometric deformation of the product, as well as a history chart that shows all the current test inspection values. The software has screens for data entries of products, where the user can change the data contained in the tests. Access to product test data and maintenance is password protected and only certain levels of users are allowed when registered by the system administrator.
The system allows the inspection and analysis of the geometric characteristics of the products. The criteria used for the analysis of these characteristics, and their subsequent evaluation are configured on the same system through a calibration screen and a maintenance screen. These two screens contains all the necessary parameters for the user to change the criteria for analysis of the deformation of the products. These evaluation criteria are saved in specific files, as well as the date of last change.
At the end of the tests, the user can request the report of the results, which is generated by the application software in Excel format, the product registration data as well as the images acquired in the inspection. Images can be viewed separately in a specific folder where are saved with a standard nomenclature chosen by the customer, which containing the date and time values of the inspection and the resulting value of the product deformation inserted in the image itself.
A vision inspecting solution for wrinkles and lint was a joint project between DAQSYS – Data & Control and Electrolux Brazil, which turned international quality reference in washers laboratories. An example is the interest of the Electrolux plant in Italy to acquire the system as a way to improve the quality of inspection of fabrics in their laboratories.
For more information about this application or others developed by DAQSYS, contact by phone +55 (41) 9967-6977 or info@daqsys.com.br.
