Multi-target automatic positioning based on angle and distance parallel measurement

Precisely and efficiently measuring three-dimensional coordinates of key points on large-scale components in the manufacturing process of aircraft and ships is critically essential. This study presents a multi-target automatic positioning method based on rapid angle and distance measurement in parallel. The measurement processes for angles and distances are decoupled and, when executed simultaneously, aims to enhance the measurement efficiency and automation compared with conventional metrology systems. A cooperative target is devised to realize the rotary-laser scanning angle measurement and absolute distance measurement in parallel. The method of multi-target rough positioning based on rotary-laser scanning and then the precise coordinate measurement method introducing absolute distance constraint are detailed. Especially for the distance measurement, we propose a method to determine the internal zero length and compensate for the distance error caused by mirror offset. A real-site experiment is implemented to verify the method's feasibility and demonstrate that the 3D coordinate measurement accuracy is better than 0.17 mm compared with laser tracker. (c) 2023 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement