In this article we outline the procedure for quantifying device repeatability of a 3D 15μm stereo imaging camera. Repeatability of a measurement refers to the variations in repeated measurements made with the same measurement device under identical conditions. A given variability among repeated measurements can therefore be ascribed only to errors due to the measurement process itself.
In the practical use case, the camera is typically one of a variety of components in a measurement system. Other components are the light source or the mechanical transport unit used in the scanning process. It is therefore important to distinguish repeatability of the camera and the measurement process that involves other components. Another important aspect to consider is the aforementioned requirement for repeatability assessment for stable environmental conditions. That means that repeatability is to be evaluated by excluding transient processes in the measurement or “measurement bias,” for instance, the warm-up phase of the camera.