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Detect scratches, dents, cracks, stains, burrs, contamination, marks, coating defects, and surface irregularities — before they leave the line, not after a customer finds them.
Surface defects rarely show up the same way twice — a scratch catches light differently than a dent, a stain behaves differently than contamination, and a coating defect might only be visible at a specific angle. Manual inspection catches most of it, most of the time, which is exactly the problem at production speed and volume.
We build surface defect detection around the specific defect and material, not a generic camera setup — the lighting geometry usually matters more than the camera resolution, and getting that wrong is the most common reason a defect detection system underperforms.
Each defect type tends to call for a different lighting angle and image processing approach.
Fine linear marks, usually best revealed with low-angle dark-field lighting.
Localized deformation, often picked up through shading and shape analysis.
Fracture lines that need high resolution and consistent contrast to isolate reliably.
Discoloration or residue detected through color or contrast deviation from a reference.
Raised edge material along cut or formed edges, checked with edge-profile lighting.
Foreign particles or residue found via texture and color anomaly detection.
Print, handling, or process marks distinguished from acceptable surface variation.
Uneven thickness, bubbles, or gaps in a coating, often needing angled or UV lighting.
General texture or finish deviations flagged against a known-good reference surface.
A quick sense of how lighting and camera choice shift depending on what needs to be caught — the full setup is tuned during commissioning.
Dark-field lighting at a grazing angle makes fine surface disruptions stand out against a flat background.
Directional bar or dome lighting to create consistent shading across the deformation.
Diffused lighting with color or monochrome contrast analysis against a reference image.
High-resolution area scan imaging paired with diffuse lighting to avoid false positives from glare.
Angled or UV-responsive lighting to reveal thickness and coverage variation.
A metal stamping line was passing occasional burred edges through to assembly, caught only later by hand inspection. A dark-field lit area scan station was added directly after the stamping press to flag parts before they reached the next process step.
Fewer escapes to assembly
Send us a sample part and the defect you’re trying to catch. Our application engineers will recommend the camera, lighting, and lens combination to detect it reliably.