High Precision, Non-Line-of-Sight Point Cloud Generation

We will develop software called Automated Reverse Engineering of CT Scans, or ARECS. This code provides the ability to automatically find and fit geometric surfaces like planes, spheres, etc. within an unstructured point cloud. ARECS outputs a 3D solid model with surfaces parametrically defined (parasolid model). This replaces 80% of the time and effort expended today by an engineer laboriously creating these surfaces (reverse engineering). Munition components contain numerous internal surfaces and are well suited for inspection by industrial computerized tomography (CT). This proven, low risk NDT method precisely measures internal and external surfaces of many part types. Besides geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), CT also displays minute internal cracks and corrosion to a very fine level of detail (microns). ARECS leverages commercial software (an SDK) that already performs automated surface detection and fitting using machine learning. This allows writing a plugin for Avizo, leading visualization and reverse engineering software from ThermoFisher. The plugin provides automated reverse engineering capability to Avizo with minimal risk, cost and time because no code changes are needed in Avizo. ThermoFisher is a subcontractor in our program, and our commercialization path is to license ARECS to them to expand Avizo’s capabilities.