Predictive Quality Control / solino Application note G^to100-SO-10-MAN-001 Weld Contrast Opto solino RTI sensorDetecting micro defects using BRDF computational imaging Customer Task: Welded metal assemblies are widely used in precision mechanical structures, automotive components, industrial housings and welded frames. In many applications, 90° or other angled weld joints must meet strict quality and safety requirements because weld defects can affect structural integrity, durability and longterm reliability. Manufacturers require reliable inspection methods for: • corner weld seams and fillet welds in 90° joints • welded brackets and frames • welded sheet metal assemblies • structural and functional weld connections The goal is to detect weld defects early in the production process and ensure consistent quality across all welded components. Inspection Challenges: Inspecting 90° weld seams is particularly challenging for traditional machine vision systems. Typical challenges include: • complex 3D geometry of corner joints • changing reflectance of metal surfaces • strong shadows caused by steep angles • weld beads with irregular surface structures • small defects hidden in weld transitions Standard camera systems rely on fixed illumination and often fail to reveal subtle weld defects. Surface irregularities may only become visible when the weld seam is illuminated from very specific angles. As a result, many weld inspections still rely on manual visual inspection, which can be subjective and inconsistent. Fig. 2: 100-SO-10-MAN-001 solino 10x10 - Viewer - Stand Opto GmbH • Floriansbogen 2/4 • 82061 Neuried • Germany • Tel: +49 89 8980 55 0 • [email protected]

Technology Principle The solino RTI sensor uses BRDF-based computational imaging to reveal weld surface structures that conventional imaging cannot reliably detect. Within milliseconds the system captures a series of 64 images under multiple illumination directions and reconstructs the surface reflectance information computationally. Key elements include: • 64 multi-directional LED illumination • photometric stereo image capture • reflectance-based surface reconstruction • computational defect enhancement The solino 10×10 RTI sensor can be used to inspect welded assemblies directly after the...