High-speed optical 3D measurement device for quality control of aircraft rivet

Abstract

Optical three-dimensional devices are widely used for quality control in the industry and allow controlling various defects or properties. In the context of aeronautics, quality control of the parts' assembly is problematic due to the number of rivets to be checked and the necessary measurement accuracy. This paper presents a new device that makes it possible to measure the positioning of a rivet in less than two seconds with a measurement accuracy close to 10 μm. A standard colour camera and a projector are used to achieve a relatively low-cost device. This device is lightweight and compact enough to be mounted on a robotic arm. Few parameters must be calibrated, and the proposed methodology is accurate even if device positioning errors occur or the appearance of the surface is changed. From a single image acquisition, about 2,000 measuring points on the aircraft skin and up to 600 measuring points on a rivet head of 1 cm2 are performed to evaluate its positioning. Our device is validated by a comparative approach and in real conditions of use.