Multi-sensor inspection application

From the Basler “Success Stories” files comes “Ultrasound Diagnostic Railway Car with Basler scout GigE Cameras for Synchronized Visual Inspection “ (it open up as pdf.) This describes a system where ultrasound is used to detect cracks in rails. What makes it challenging is not so much that this is done at speeds of 60km/h, and in all conditions, but that rails actually have holes in places. This means the ultrasound system is going to give indications of flaws when none are present.

To deal with this, a camera system, synchronized with the ultrasound, captures images of the rails. This makes it possible to review a suspect area of track and decide if further investigation is needed. Obviously, it’s more complicated than how I’ve just described things, so if you’re interested, take a look at the note on the Basler website.