Automated Inspection Point Measurement and Documentation

Raytheon conducts rapid prototyping on a large scale, so it needs away to quickly test the quality and reliability of its newly fabricated parts before use.The team developed a fully automated scanning system that measures and documents mandatory inspection points as defined by Raytheon’s part specifications. The system does this by creating a 3D model of the product, comparing it to an optimal model and finding significant differences between the models. This allows for identification of defects in real time and minimizes human error by cutting out touch-intensive processes, all while achieving equivalent accuracy to current industry practices.The user uploads a 3D model of the ideal part into Autodesk, then places their 3D-printed part onto the rotary table. The rotary table spins 360 degrees, and the structure sensor generates a 3D model of the part. The 3D scanner then communicates this model to Autodesk so that the software can compare the two models. After comparison, the system generates a data package to send to the user’s PC detailing how similar the actual product is to the ideal model.