Engineers at Ford are employing photogrammetric pattern reader (PPR) technology to stitch together 9,000 images of truck axles during assembly for analysis. The 3D mapping is used to analyze rear axle parts of F-Series pickups during assembly axles for problems that could affect reliability and to help develop a smoother, quieter ride.
PPR automated analysis use a pair of digital cameras to combine photos of the axle gears into a series of 3D pictures that are compared against an ideal computer model of the gears. The process, according to Ford, provides faster and more efficient assessment over manual visual inspections. Gears that don’t meet specifications are discarded.
“PPR technology is the next evolution in quality control for our commercial trucks,” said David Gravel, an engineer in Ford’s advanced manufacturing group. “This new technology allows us to conduct our inspections faster, and at a level of detail the human eye just cannot discern.”
Ford’s system uses line scan cameras and infrared lights to turn a series of two-dimensional image slices into a single three-dimensional image for analysis. The technology was developed with Automated Vision and ATM Automation. Now in use at Ford’s Sterling Axle Plant in Sterling Heights, Mich., PPR stations are being rolled out in Ford plants worldwide.