Digital multi-step phase-shifting profilometry for three-dimensional ballscrew surface imaging

•A digital phase-shifting profilometry is presented for 3-D ballscrew imaging.•The proposed imaging system achieved precise 3-D ballscrew shape measurement.•The real-time and high accuracy imaging system is applicable for 3-D inspection.

A digital multi-step phase-shifting profilometry for three-dimensional (3-D) ballscrew surface imaging is presented. The 3-D digital imaging system is capable of capturing fringe pattern images. The straight fringe patterns generated by software in the computer are projected onto the ballscrew surface by the DLP projector. The distorted fringe patterns are captured by the CCD camera at different detecting directions for reconstruction algorithms. The seven-step phase-shifting algorithm and quality guided path unwrapping algorithm are used to calculate absolute phase at each pixel position. The 3-D calibration method is used to obtain the relationship between the absolute phase map and ballscrew shape. The angular dependence of 3-D shape imaging for ballscrews is analyzed and characterized. The experimental results may provide a novel, fast, and high accuracy imaging system to inspect the surface features of the ballscrew without length limitation for automated optical inspection industry.