High-Speed 6DoF Tool Monitoring Using a Low-Cost Photogrammetric System

The capability of low-cost photogrammetric systems to provide live six degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking of multiple objects offers great value in providing high-quality and consistent part production by automated manufacturing systems. However, monitoring of high-speed components, such as cutting heads, presents several unique challenges that existing systems struggle to meet. The solution given here uses a small number of short-exposure imaging sensors coupled with high-intensity lighting and retrorefective markers to allow for high-speed capture. The use of an initial characterization process carried out using IDEKO’s VSET© system is followed by live object tracking in bespoke image processing software running on a consumer-grade computer. Once this system is in use, it can simultaneously capture images of multiple markers in less than 0.1 milliseconds and use these to determine the 6DoF of the objects that the markers define. 6DoF recalculation of all objects within each measurement instance makes the system resilient to large movements, object occlusion, and sensor relocation. Feasibility tests of a four-camera system as a machine characterization tool tracking a cutting tool spinning at up to 3000 rpm across a volume of 1 m³ achieved a mean reference marker agreement between tool poses of 2.5 µm with markers moving at up to 17.5 ms⁻¹. Given good photogrammetric geometry, 6DoF parameters of the spinning tool were determined to standard deviations of 37.7 µm and 0.086°.