WEBINAR: Automated Inspection of Backlit Character Luminance and Color Using Integrated OCR
Backlit panels in aircraft cockpits and vehicle dashboards provide critical information for operators. Illuminated controls and instrumentation, gauges, characters, symbols, and shapes must be clearly visible in all ambient conditions day and night. To ensure correct operation, panels must be rigorously inspected. Three-point character tests have been widely adopted in the aerospace industry and beyond to determine acceptable luminance for backlit characters. These tests employ three analysis points per character, where luminance is measured and reported.
These tests require manufacturers to collect multiple measurements, which can require multiple metrology systems — spectrometers (spot meters), photometers and colorimeters, machine vision cameras — plus optical character recognition (OCR) capability. Each system must be set up separately to take panel measurements, and ‘trained’ on any variations in panel shape, dimensions, fonts, symbols, etc. Extremely low tolerance for misalignment between measurement instrument and device under test (DUT) further adds to QA time and complexity. If the three points aren’t aligned, pass/fail measurements aren’t accurate. This webinar reviews various methods of backlit character inspection and presents a novel method of integrating OCR for precise, dynamic alignment providing rapid, accurate backlit panel inspection with a single metrology system.
Key Takeaways
- Review the requirements and challenges of backlit panel and character inspection, including three-point character measurement.
- Explore the range of metrology systems and approaches that can be used for QA measurement of luminance, color and other criteria.
- Learn about a novel, automated method for backlit panel inspection that integrates calibrated luminance and color measurement with OCR for dynamic character alignment.
