CAD-Based Path Planning for 3D Laser Scanning of Complex Surface

A CAD-based approach to plan the laser scanning path of complex surfaces is presented. Firstly, in the laser scanning process the issues of the positional relationship between scanning direction and normal vectors of sampling points of the measured surface, sensor work area check and surface occlusion judgment are researched and a method for generating a single arbitrary surface scanning path is developed. Secondly, through the analysis of surface segmentation, scanning directions and displacements synthesis during the multi-surface scanning process, a scanning path planning method based on any complex multi-curved surface is established. Finally, through a simulation example, the feasibility of the method is verified.