Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly

Ye Yang; Yan Jin; Mark Price; Gasser Abdelal; Colm Higgins; Paul Maropoulos

doi:10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727

Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly

Ye Yang, Yan Jin, Mark Price, Gasser Abdelal, Colm Higgins, Paul Maropoulos

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Point cloud registration is necessary to join multiple laser scanned data, but researchers have not treated point cloud registration in aircraft assembly in much detail. When applying laser scan metrology into industries, the effects of registration uncertainty on high precision assembly accuracy are not negligible. Based on the use of laser scanner and commercial software PolyWorks, this study investigates the registration uncertainty between part-level and assembly-level point cloud data in aircraft wing assembly. A spar-and-skin assembly with sphere artefacts is used as a case study. Registration uncertainty in gap measurement is also investigated. Results show that: (1) the use of sphere artefacts cannot improve registration accuracy in PolyWorks, but can improve efficiency. (2) Registration process could bring errors and these errors would be affected by the parameters settings during data processing. (3) Systematic errors would be associated with both part-level and assembly-level measurements, and calibration should be applied to eliminate their effects on the measurement of the desired dimensions, i.e. the gap size in this case. It is concluded that laser scanner and computational software can be used for high precision assembly, and evaluating registration uncertainty is a crucial step to improve assembly accuracy.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	164-169
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728175560
ISBN (Print)	9781728175577
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727
Publication status	Published - 19 Aug 2021
Event	8th IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace, MetroAeroSpace 2021 - Virtual, Online Duration: 22 Jun 2021 → 25 Jun 2021

Publication series

Name	IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings
ISSN (Print)	2575-7482
ISSN (Electronic)	2575-7490

Conference

Conference	8th IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace, MetroAeroSpace 2021
City	Virtual, Online
Period	22/06/2021 → 25/06/2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to acknowledge the Northern Ireland Technology Centre for using the equipment and software. Funding support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK under projects EP/P025447/1 and EP/4P026087/1 is acknowledged. PhD funding support from Chinese Scholarship Council and Queen’s University Belfast is also acknowledged.

Funding Information:
This paper is funded by the China Scholarship Council, Queen's University Belfast, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 IEEE.

Keywords

Aircraft wing assembly
Gap measurement
Laser scanner
Point cloud registration
Sphere target

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Aerospace Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering
Instrumentation

Access to Document

10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727Licence: Unspecified

Cite this

Yang, Y., Jin, Y., Price, M., Abdelal, G., Higgins, C., & Maropoulos, P. (2021). Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly. In 2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings (pp. 164-169). Article 9511727 ( IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727

Yang, Ye ; Jin, Yan ; Price, Mark et al. / Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly. 2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2021. pp. 164-169 ( IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings).

@inproceedings{d67db6d715a94110ad28259eea374ad2,

title = "Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly",

abstract = "Point cloud registration is necessary to join multiple laser scanned data, but researchers have not treated point cloud registration in aircraft assembly in much detail. When applying laser scan metrology into industries, the effects of registration uncertainty on high precision assembly accuracy are not negligible. Based on the use of laser scanner and commercial software PolyWorks, this study investigates the registration uncertainty between part-level and assembly-level point cloud data in aircraft wing assembly. A spar-and-skin assembly with sphere artefacts is used as a case study. Registration uncertainty in gap measurement is also investigated. Results show that: (1) the use of sphere artefacts cannot improve registration accuracy in PolyWorks, but can improve efficiency. (2) Registration process could bring errors and these errors would be affected by the parameters settings during data processing. (3) Systematic errors would be associated with both part-level and assembly-level measurements, and calibration should be applied to eliminate their effects on the measurement of the desired dimensions, i.e. the gap size in this case. It is concluded that laser scanner and computational software can be used for high precision assembly, and evaluating registration uncertainty is a crucial step to improve assembly accuracy.",

keywords = "Aircraft wing assembly, Gap measurement, Laser scanner, Point cloud registration, Sphere target",

author = "Ye Yang and Yan Jin and Mark Price and Gasser Abdelal and Colm Higgins and Paul Maropoulos",

note = "Funding Information: ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to acknowledge the Northern Ireland Technology Centre for using the equipment and software. Funding support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK under projects EP/P025447/1 and EP/4P026087/1 is acknowledged. PhD funding support from Chinese Scholarship Council and Queen{\textquoteright}s University Belfast is also acknowledged. Funding Information: This paper is funded by the China Scholarship Council, Queen's University Belfast, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 IEEE.; 8th IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace, MetroAeroSpace 2021 ; Conference date: 22-06-2021 Through 25-06-2021",

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Yang, Y, Jin, Y , Price, M , Abdelal, G, Higgins, C & Maropoulos, P 2021, Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly. in 2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings., 9511727, IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 164-169, 8th IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace, MetroAeroSpace 2021, Virtual, Online, 22/06/2021. https://doi.org/10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727

Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly. / Yang, Ye; Jin, Yan ; Price, Mark et al.
2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2021. p. 164-169 9511727 ( IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly

AU - Yang, Ye

AU - Jin, Yan

AU - Price, Mark

AU - Abdelal, Gasser

AU - Higgins, Colm

AU - Maropoulos, Paul

N1 - Funding Information: ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors would like to acknowledge the Northern Ireland Technology Centre for using the equipment and software. Funding support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK under projects EP/P025447/1 and EP/4P026087/1 is acknowledged. PhD funding support from Chinese Scholarship Council and Queen’s University Belfast is also acknowledged. Funding Information: This paper is funded by the China Scholarship Council, Queen's University Belfast, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) UK. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 IEEE.

PY - 2021/8/19

Y1 - 2021/8/19

N2 - Point cloud registration is necessary to join multiple laser scanned data, but researchers have not treated point cloud registration in aircraft assembly in much detail. When applying laser scan metrology into industries, the effects of registration uncertainty on high precision assembly accuracy are not negligible. Based on the use of laser scanner and commercial software PolyWorks, this study investigates the registration uncertainty between part-level and assembly-level point cloud data in aircraft wing assembly. A spar-and-skin assembly with sphere artefacts is used as a case study. Registration uncertainty in gap measurement is also investigated. Results show that: (1) the use of sphere artefacts cannot improve registration accuracy in PolyWorks, but can improve efficiency. (2) Registration process could bring errors and these errors would be affected by the parameters settings during data processing. (3) Systematic errors would be associated with both part-level and assembly-level measurements, and calibration should be applied to eliminate their effects on the measurement of the desired dimensions, i.e. the gap size in this case. It is concluded that laser scanner and computational software can be used for high precision assembly, and evaluating registration uncertainty is a crucial step to improve assembly accuracy.

AB - Point cloud registration is necessary to join multiple laser scanned data, but researchers have not treated point cloud registration in aircraft assembly in much detail. When applying laser scan metrology into industries, the effects of registration uncertainty on high precision assembly accuracy are not negligible. Based on the use of laser scanner and commercial software PolyWorks, this study investigates the registration uncertainty between part-level and assembly-level point cloud data in aircraft wing assembly. A spar-and-skin assembly with sphere artefacts is used as a case study. Registration uncertainty in gap measurement is also investigated. Results show that: (1) the use of sphere artefacts cannot improve registration accuracy in PolyWorks, but can improve efficiency. (2) Registration process could bring errors and these errors would be affected by the parameters settings during data processing. (3) Systematic errors would be associated with both part-level and assembly-level measurements, and calibration should be applied to eliminate their effects on the measurement of the desired dimensions, i.e. the gap size in this case. It is concluded that laser scanner and computational software can be used for high precision assembly, and evaluating registration uncertainty is a crucial step to improve assembly accuracy.

KW - Aircraft wing assembly

KW - Gap measurement

KW - Laser scanner

KW - Point cloud registration

KW - Sphere target

U2 - 10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727

DO - 10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85114042243

SN - 9781728175577

T3 - IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings

SP - 164

EP - 169

BT - 2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

T2 - 8th IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace, MetroAeroSpace 2021

Y2 - 22 June 2021 through 25 June 2021

ER -

Yang Y, Jin Y , Price M , Abdelal G, Higgins C, Maropoulos P. Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly. In 2021 IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2021. p. 164-169. 9511727. ( IEEE 8th International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace (MetroAeroSpace): Proceedings). doi: 10.1109/MetroAeroSpace51421.2021.9511727

Investigation of point cloud registration uncertainty for gap measurement of aircraft wing assembly

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Cite this