3D imaging brings more detailed analysis and insight to manufacturing and quality inspection processes where depth information can help verify proper assembly and detect surface defects. Where 2D inspection provides X and Y values for an object, depth information can be used to verify the proper position and height of components on a circuit board or automate pass/fail decisions to screen out flawed products.
While 3D has quickly become commonplace in our consumer lives—with 3D films, televisions, gaming consoles, printers, and more—some approaches to capture the third dimension are too costly, complex, or don’t deliver the required accuracy for automated quality inspection of high-precision parts. With 3D image technologies on the market today, integrators and designers are forced to make tradeoffs between performance accuracy, image acquisition time, and in some cases end-user safety to meet budget demands.