Disks
The same IOMS probe technology used to inspect cylindrically shaped parts, such as bore holes and gears, can be used to inspect disk-shaped or spherical surfaces. The surfaces can be metal, such as the surfaces of brake rotors, or non metallic, such as the surfaces of translucent plastic disks.
An example of a setup for inspecting plastic disks is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Experimental setup for inspecting a disk of translucent material
It can be more difficult to detect defects in translucent plastic surfaces than in metal surfaces, because it is more difficult to see defects such as pores, cracks, scratches or embedded particles of the same material as the disk. IOMS technology accentuates these difficult-to-observe defects.
A photo of a disk labeled Disk 5 is shown in Figure 2. This disk has a crack on its surface that is practically invisible. Figure 3 is an image of the same disk surface created from IOMS probe scan data. In this image there is no question about the existence or location of the crack in the disk. By processing the data slightly differently it is possible to visualize other features. Figure 4 is a photo of a disk labeled Disk 8. This disk has an inclusion of a separate piece of the same material as the molded disk that is embedded in the mold. Figure 5 shows IOMS data of the same disk surface processed to show the embedded piece of plastic. In addition, an outline of the metal support structure embedded in the disk is also visible. Using IOMS probe technology it is possible to observe other subsurface features in disks including subsurface inclusions and subsurface pores. It is only necessary to take data once to be able to analyze it in different ways.
Figure 2. Photo of the surface of disk 5
Figure 3. Graph of the surface of disk 5 created from IOMS laser scanning data
Figure 4. Photo of a disk labeled Disk 8
Figure 5. Graph of Disk 8 processed using IOMS scan data showing the location of a plastic inclusion and the outline of an embedded metal support structure