Image fusion for surface finishing inspection

This paper presents an automatic defect detection system for machined metallic surfaces. Depending on the type of surface treatment a characteristic texture may be added. The aim is to determine flaws even if their orientation and shape are very similar to the surface finishing. For this purpose, a procedure based on merging features obtained under different lighting conditions has been developed. All the devices involved in the image acquisition process are also detailed. Results of the automated inspection suggest that the system works effectively with a low value of false rejections. Finally, ways to further improve the defect detection rate have also been discussed.