LAUSR

Abstract Due to its potential accuracy and speed, the use of laser vision sensor (LVS) surface profiling systems has been rising at original equipment manufacturer levels in the Oil and Gas industry. The assessment of large structures mandates the deviation from commercially available LVS systems, and the implementation of custom-designed surface profiling capabilities. This effort assesses the use of 3ds Max, a three dimensional (3D) animation software, as a virtual environment to evaluate potential capabilities and limitations of any custom-designed LVS systems. An LVS experimental setup is simulated using the proposed virtual environment. A combination of two known calibration techniques is implemented virtually and experimentally to deliver a calibrated LVS system in both environments. Imported CAD model and its 3D-printed sample as known input profiles are scanned virtually and experimentally, respectively. Scanned data is inverted and compared with the input CAD model to validate the virtual environment for LVS surface profiling applications and preliminarily assess the measurement technique for weld profiling applications. More importantly, this effort facilitates the assessment of custom-designed LVS systems and brings 3D scanning capabilities a step closer towards robust quality control applications in the Oil and Gas industry.