Bead Inspection

Take precise area measurements for more accurate glue bead inspections

Cognex 3D Laser Profiler automotive sun roof glue bead inspection

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Automated glue bead inspections are critical to ensure that parts like windows and sunroofs seal firmly and cleanly. Prior to assembly, machine vision checks for the presence of adhesive beads, measures their relative volume or cross sectional area, and inspects for defects such as voids, bubbles, and gaps. Inspections need to be performed in-line, so that product line and quality managers can monitor the performance of dispensing equipment and catch errors early during production. Freshly applied, wet, or shiny beads make it difficult for 2D vision sensors and even advanced vision systems with bead inspection tools to fixture and inspect the target image properly.

Cognex 3D laser profilers provide an out-of-the-box, turnkey solution for in-line bead inspection without generating a full 3D image. These powerful profilers handle low-contrast scenes, checking for the presence/absence of grey or even transparent beads on dark surfaces. 2D profiles are used to compute the cross-sectional area and detect any gaps along the bead line. By combining area measurements generated by Cognex 3D laser profilers with an encoder output, the downstream PLC can determine approximate glue bead volume to ensure the correct amount of glue has been dispensed. The profiler communicates dimensional results in real world units or on a pass/fail basis to downstream systems which can track performance and signal the need for corrective measures.

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