A 3D vision system for high resolution surface reconstruction

In this paper a fast and innovative three-dimensional vision system, having high resolution in the surface reconstruction, is discussed. It is based on a triangulation 3D laser scanner with a linear beam shape. The high precision (few microns) is guaranteed by very small laser line width, small camera pixel-size and proper optical properties of the Telecentric Lens. The entire system has been tested on two kinds of sample objects such as a 20 cent coin and a set of precision drilling tools. The main purpose of this work is the detection and reconstruction of the 3D surface of tiny objects and the measurement of their surface defects with high accuracy. Furthermore the occlusion problem is faced and solved by properly handling the camera-laser setup. Experimental tests prove the high precision of the system that can reach a resolution of 15 mu m.