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In the manufacturing process certain workpieces are inspected for dimensional measurement using sophisticated quality control techniques. During the operation phase, these parts are deformed due to the high temperatures involved in the process. The evolution of the workpieces structure is noticed on their dimensional modification. This evolution can be measured with a set of dimensional parameters. In this paper, a three dimensional automatic inspection of these parts is proposed. The aim is the measuring of some workpieces features through 3D control methods using directional lighting and a computer artificial vision system. The results of this measuring must be compared with the parameters obtained after the manufacturing process in order to determine the degree of deformation of the workpiece and decide whether it is still usable or not. Workpieces outside a predetermined specification range must be discarded and replaced by new ones. The advantage of artificial vision methods is based on the fact that there is no need to get in touch with the object to inspect. This makes feasible its use in hazardous environments, not suitable for human beings. A system has been developed and applied to the inspection of fuel assemblies in nuclear power plants. Such a system has been implemented in a very high level of radiation environment and operates in underwater conditions. The physical dimensions of a nuclear fuel assembly are modified after its operation in a nuclear power plant in relation to the original dimensions after its manufacturing. The whole system (camera, mechanical and illumination systems and the radioactive fuel assembly) is submerged in water for minimizing radiation effects and is remotely controlled by human intervention. The developed system has to inspect accurately a set of measures on the fuel assembly surface such as length, twists, arching, etc. The present project called SICOM (nuclear fuel assembly inspection system) is included into the R&D program P.I.E. created for electrical companies and is developed jointly with Iberdrola, Tecnatom and Enusa.
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