Methodology for Designing an Optimal Test Stand for Camera Thermal Drift Measurements and Its Stability Verification.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Metrology
• Computer Vision

Background:

• Temperature variations induce image plane drifts in cameras, impacting machine vision system accuracy.
• Existing compensation models rely on parameter measurements susceptible to test stand conditions, leading to potential errors.
• Accurate thermal image drift measurement is essential for robust camera performance in variable environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess existing test stands for thermal image drift measurements.
• To propose a novel methodology for designing a test stand that isolates camera thermal drift from external influences.
• To validate the effectiveness of the designed test stand in minimizing external factors.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and assessment of current thermal image drift test stands.
• Development of a new test stand design focused on eliminating confounding environmental variables.
• Experimental validation of the designed test stand through controlled temperature variations (5 °C to 45 °C).

Main Results:

• The designed test stand successfully minimized external influences on camera thermal drift measurements.
• Maximum error of 16% in thermal image drift was observed during rapid temperature changes (25 °C to 5 °C).
• The proposed methodology provides a more reliable approach to characterizing camera thermal behavior.

Conclusions:

• The developed test stand offers a more accurate method for measuring camera thermal image drift.
• Improved understanding of thermal drift is critical for enhancing the precision of machine vision systems.
• This work contributes to more reliable camera calibration and compensation strategies in challenging thermal conditions.